Twilight Sisters
by blackrose515
Summary: A horrific fire separates a pair of close twin sisters, each of whom believes the other is dead, leaving them orphaned. They are taken in by unlikely rival species that redefine the very meaning of life, family, love,&loyalty. MATURE CONTENT. plz R&R!
1. Chapter 1 & Chapter 2

**Note: The storyline, plot, characters, etc. are all mine. I did not create the idea of vampires, werewolves, etc. however this story was created by me. Do Not Steal It! I love getting feedback so don't hesitate to submit a review even if it's just to tell me that I mispelled a word...yea I really want to fix that stuff! Or just a short "good job" would be fantastic too! **

Chapter 1

**Fall 1793**

The air burned with the scorched scent of old oak and cotton. The ash blew violently as the merciless inferno that engulfed the ancient manor illuminated the midnight sky. Farmhands and pages rushed frantically to the well and back with wooden buckets trying to drown the flames but to no avail. Then there were the screams; terrified screams from both the people outside and the victims inside. The embroidered curtains billowed like a mane of fiery hair in the wind threatening to ignite the nearby forest pines. The very foundation itself seemed to moan in agony as the fire consumed its once fortress like structure.

"Get them out! Get the girls out, I say!" yelled the lead Farmhand.

"No Thomas! The manor will collapse any second!" screamed his wife.

"Father the girls are still in there! We cannot let them perish!" yelled his eldest son.

Sprinting towards the manor, the young boy, not a day older than 19, ran through the double oak doors of the blazing manor yelling for the girls still trapped within. He was closely followed by his father and a few other brave farmhands while his mother fell to the ground weeping in her dirty apron. Those who remained outside desperately tried to abate the scorching flames but found their attempts futile. All of a sudden there was a thunderous crack as one of the roof beams gave way and crashed into the third floor of the manor. A piercing sound of shattering glass and a moment later a heart wrenching scream. The petrified crowd gasped in horror as the once grand manor collapsed in a burning heap of splintered wood and carved stone. Nobody noticed the towering figure stride off into the nearby woods carrying something limp in his arms.

Chapter 2

**Spring 1793**

There was a sharp rapping on the door.

"Victoria Rose Beckett are you not up yet?" came a stern voice.

"No," she responded groggily, entangled in her white sheets.

"Well you had better get up soon or your mother will have a right fit."

"I shall get up when James goes and sweeps the barn, I promise."

"Bullocks, you very well know that James does not sweep the barn 'til midday."

"My point exactly," Victoria muttered to herself.

"Make haste lass. You're already late. How can you expect to be married by next fall if you're lying in your bed dreaming your life away?"

"That sounds rather pleasant actually."

"Up now or I shall fetch your father."

"Fine. I'm up," said Victoria quickly untangling herself from her crisp sheets and walking towards the door.

Opening it to find a stern faced, stout middle-aged woman wearing a tight brown bun with streaks of gray and a frown.

"See," she said smiling, "I told you I'd get up Elle May."

The woman sighed, shook her head and went on her way, walking briskly down the hall but not without stating, "Lord I sometimes wish you were more like your sister."

"No you don't Elle May. If I was more like her, there wouldn't be a need for two of us" she called after her.

Laughing to herself she closed the door and went to pull back the curtains on her window. She sighed and smiled softly at the sight. One of her favorite aspects of the morning was how the buttery sunlight gently crept up the main lawn illuminating it like a golden sea of grass. How she loved the sun. She made her way towards the elegantly decorated water basin on her dresser. After pouring some of the icy liquid into it from the matching pitcher, she vigorously washed her face, enjoying the cold feeling that tingled her cheeks. Half an hour later she was rushing down the stone steps hair pulled back in a simple plait wearing a plain green dress and apron. She stumbled into the kitchen where the Elle May and the other house-hands were busily working on breakfast.

"Good morning," she breathed happily.

"Good morning Victoria," answered Mary Alice, James' Mother, a delicately pretty brunette whose kindness was reflected in all of her features, "A little late are we?"

Elle May scoffed, "I'll say."

"Only a little," replied Victoria modestly.

"Well you'd better get a move on young lady, your father, mother and sister are already waiting for you in the dining hall," said Anne Marie, a old thin woman who was far more ancient that Elle May herself.

"Yes Madam," and without a second glance Victoria quickly crossed the kitchen and went through the door that led to the dining hall where she did indeed find the rest of her family waiting for her. Her father did not look pleased.

"Where have you been?" he asked sternly as she slowly sank into her seat. His brown beard hid the thin line that his mouth had become; a clear indication of his annoyance.

Victoria glanced across the table at her sister Olivia. Her twin peered briefly at her before dropping her eyes to her plate.

"..I..," she stammered then collecting herself, "I overslept father."

"Well daughter remember that this manor has a collective routine beginning every sunrise and we cannot afford to waste time to wait for you. Is that understood?" he asked.

"Yes father, I apologize. It won't happen again," she replied facing him.

"Be sure it doesn't," he responded, his eyes softening slightly.

Victoria nodded.

At that moment breakfast was brought in. Bowls of steaming porridge, a warm stack of toast, a small cluster of starch-white hard boiled eggs, and a steel pitcher of fresh milk were placed in the center of the table. Everyone bowed their heads to say grace and then commenced to eat.

"Do not forget girls that later this afternoon you will be attending a tea party with the town's young ladies. You must look your best. Quite a few of the town's most respected suitors will be there. Your actions must be flawless," their mother gently stated. Her voice was as soft as silk and as eloquent as any respectable court lady's.

Victoria gave Olivia one of those _I'd-rather-stay-at-the-manor- and-feed-the-pigs _looks. Olivia suppressed her laughter. Their mother continued to explain the expectations of a proper lady, a list they had heard countless times in the past.

"…only speaks when she is spoken to. She hides her eyes behind her fan and peers into a man's eyes only momentarily before returning them to the floor. A prized wife is one who honors all requests made by her husband. She never leaves his side, and only states her opinion when asked to do so. She has no need to talk as her presence is sufficient enough… "

_No need to **think** is more like it, _thought Victoria, _All she has to do is sit there and look attractive._

_I wonder why Victoria has that look of disgust on her face?, _thought Olivia, _Probably thinking of how much she hates being a noble puppet. I can't say I don't blame her. _

Olivia turned her head to peer out of the dining hall window, out past the glowing lawn, the perfectly aligned blossoming orchards, and into the thickly dense pines. She could see their very tops swaying slightly in the wind, as free to dance as they wished. Spring breezes always made the pines dance as if they, too, were overjoyed that the harsh winter had now ended. Their thin emerald needles glistened sharply as they clung to the morning dew.

"Olivia, are you listening to me?"

Olivia was immediately jerked out of her daydreaming.

"—Oh! Yes mother, a lady should never speak unless spoken to."

"No darling. I was actually asking if you were finished with your breakfast yet?" corrected her mother, slightly annoyed.

"Oh, um, yes mother. I have finished," Olivia gave a weak smile.

"Well then take your dishes to the kitchen and proceed with haste to your chores. We want as much time to prepare you for the tea party."

Olivia gave a swift nod, picked up her porcelain dishes and walked with her sister into the kitchen. The clinking and scraping of china could be heard outside the door letting them know that the househands were already cleaning up the morning's wastes.

"Mary Alice we're off to the orchards," called Victoria grabbing a wide-rimmed woven basket.

"We'll be back soon," added Olivia.

And without a second glance, the girls bolted through the back door of the kitchen and were running outside at almost a full sprint down towards the fruitful orchards.

"So are you excited for the tea party?" asked Olivia mockingly.

"As excited as I am to marry and bed a complete stranger who will more than likely be at least twice as old as I am on our wedding night," replied Victoria sarcastically.

The girls ran past the old wooden barn and effortlessly hopped over the wooden fence separating the main lawn from the orchards.

"Yea me too. But don't let mother hear you talk so crudely or she will die of shame," warned Olivia.

"Crude, yes. Untruthful, I think not."

"I suppose you are right but you must remember that we are ladies and must behave like them," added Olivia leaping over a fallen pine branch.

"We behave how the world and our husbands dictate us to behave and that's all. Not how we choose to behave or how we see fit. There's a difference you know," panted Victoria.

"I do. But what can we do? We can't change the times nor how we live in them. As much as I wish I could choose whom I marry—,"  
"Good morning Lady Victoria, Lady Olivia," greeted a handsome young boy no older than 19.

The girls stumbled and nearly fell as they abruptly tried to stop their quick pace.

"Hello James!" smiled Victoria.

"Good morning James," breathed Olivia.

"Honestly, where are you ladies rushing off to so hastily?" asked the kind faced brunette.

"Well—," started Victoria in a mock pretentious tone, "we are rushing because there is a certain tea party with which we have received due invitation to attend and we must hurry to finish our chores so that we may dress and pretty ourselves so that we can find our long awaited suitors. I suspect they'll be arriving in coffins if you'd care to meet them."

"—and after our arrival, this is our favorite part now, we'll get to sit down and sip lemon tea with our dear friends, whom like us, are also looking for suitors to marry and discuss the important matters of life such as lady-like behavior—,"

"make-up and tea—,"

"embroidery and crochet—,"

"perfume and hair—,"

"—and most importantly, how to best please our husbands," finished off Olivia with a delicate, mock smile and a final curtsy.

"That bad, huh?" asked James.

"Put it this way," scorned Victoria, immediately dropping her noblewoman charade, "If I had my way, I'd be helping you clean up after the pigs. At least they see me as more than just a pretty face and a young bride."

"Ah," smiled James, "Well be grateful you're twins. Imagine having to face all that alone?"

"I try not to thank you very much," smiled Victoria.

"You know sometimes I don't understand why they call us twins. We don't look **exactly** alike. When we were younger, yes, but now our faces are distinctly different," Olivia thought out loud.

"And good thing too or our future husbands wouldn't be able to tell the difference," laughed Victoria.

"Well, good luck to you both for this afternoon's torture party. It sounds like a real treat," he finished.

"Goodbye James," said Victoria turning on her heels and continuing deeper into the orchards.

"Farewell Victoria. And to you too," he turned to face Olivia, "I shall await your return, my fair lady."

Olivia blushed and smiled, starring deeper into his vibrant blue eyes. Gently taking her hand, he placed a delicate kiss on her skin.

"I'll see you tonight James," she whispered, squeezing his hand.

"Please do not be engaged when you return," he gently whispered back.

Olivia smiled then turning on her heels ran after her sister. Picking fruits was a remarkably relaxing activity. The sweet smells of the apples, apricots, and currants teased the senses along with the soothing breaths of the orchards as the breeze gently flowed between their waxy leaves. Half the time was spent running in swirling circles hand in hand allowing the wind to blow smoothly through their matching dark brown hair. Their laughter was carried on the wind deep into the forest pines where the woods itself seemed to be laughing with them at the simple yet beautiful joy they were partaking in.


	2. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 is here! Enjoy!**

Chapter 3

The rhythmic clattering of the horses' hooves on the cobblestone roads were barely audible as they rode into town towards the Grand Hotel where the tea party was to take place. Victoria and Olivia peered out of the carriage's windows looking in awe as the town bustled with life. Merchants bellowed, bargaining their products to anyone who would listen, small shoppés had their doors and windows wide open hoping to catch a fresh breeze as well as prospective customers, and further down the street stood the Grand Hotel in all her luxury. The front bragged of lavishness with its white painted maple wood and detailed gold designs. Each of its double-doors had bellboys on either side opening and closing them whenever guests walked through. Olivia glanced at her sister and smiled with excitement. It was a rare treat to go into town especially for girls of their age. Usually company concerning them came to their manor to pass the time, not the other way around.

"Ready girls?" asked their mother as the carriage came to a stop.

They both nodded. Victoria adjusted the bust line of her rose colored high-waisted dress. The gold threading sparkled slightly in the light. Her arm length white gloves felt awkwardly tight to her skin but she would not say anything. She couldn't, it was not her place to voice her discomforts. The door of the carriage was opened and her mother rose to be helped out first. Next was Olivia, her midnight blue dress mirrored her own except for the silver threading instead of gold. A white gloved hand reached up to take hers and she stepped out. Victoria finally rose and kneeling slightly so that her leghorn hat would not hit the ceiling of the carriage, took the hand of the bellboy and also exited the carriage. Her dark brown curls lightly bounced as she stepped onto the cobblestone street and her small silk shawl fluttered slightly. Her airy dress billowed a little in the cool breeze.

"Thank you good sir," she gently said.

The bellboy bowed his head in welcome.

"Come now girls," said their mother.

Walking up to the entrance and through the double doors, they were warmly greeted by the hotel manager who informed them that the tea party was being held in the ballroom in the east wing. After snapping for a bellboy, they were led from the extravagant lobby, down an equally breathtaking main hall and towards another set of double doors. Once down the hall, two more bellboys opened the doors onto the buzzing scene of the tea party. Women and young ladies dressed in the latest fashions gently chattered and laughed with each other while delicately sipping tea from the ornate china. The soft and airy sounds of chamber music filled the room diluting the countless conversations. Round tables were covered in white lace tablecloths and a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers graced every counter. Victoria looked around the grand room momentarily before she noticed a thin, rather severe looking woman gliding toward them.

"Good afternoon, Madam Winthrop," said their mother.

"Afternoon," replied the severe woman sternly.

Olivia had never seen someone look so taut before. She would have easily mistaken this woman for a statue had she not seen her move.

"…my daughters Victoria Rose and Olivia Grace," introduced their mother.

Madam Winthrop's gaze shot towards them as if she had barely noticed their presence. She eyed Olivia first who managed a polite smile then Victoria who did not smile but rather stared straight back.

"Welcome ladies," she greeted, though her eyes did not show any warmth of welcome, "I would imagine you'd fit in quite well at the table behind me and to my right."

She did not even look over her shoulder as she spoke.

Victoria wasn't sure she particularly like this lady. She seemed unnecessarily cold.

_I wonder why she's so statuesque, _wondered Olivia, _She couldn't have always been like this._

Victoria noticed that the table to the right was filled with young girls around her age chattering with each other. A particularly pretty blonde looked up at her and stared. Victoria gave her a small smile, which she did not return, merely gazing back to the others and continuing her conversation.

"Why thank you Madam Winthrop," replied their mother, "Now ladies why don't you sit with those other lovely young women and enjoy the gathering."

"Yes mother," smiled Olivia.

"May I take your shawl for you Madam?" came a voice behind her.

She turned to see a kind looking bellboy.

"Why yes thank you. My sister also has a shawl if you don't mind," she said softly.

"Not at all my lady," he replied bowing his head. After delicately taking both shawls, he walked towards the coatroom.

Olivia turned toward her sister and took in a silent breath. Victoria gave a subtle nod and they both turned to walk towards their suggested table. The conversation all but stopped once they arrived. Each of the four girls looked up at them curiously.

"Good afternoon ladies," smiled Victoria.

"I hope we have not interrupted," added Olivia.

"No not at all," smiled a red-headed girl with a rather large nose, "My name is Amelia Stratford. How do you do?"

"Very well thank you. I'm Victoria Rose Beckett and this is my sister Olivia Grace Beckett," she replied motioning towards her sister.

"A pleasure to meet you—"

"How do you do?—"

"Why don't you have a seat—"

"Are you twins?—"

"Oh good gracious! They are!—"

"How remarkable—"

"My father's second cousin is a twin—"

"You mean the one that died on the shipwreck to the Americas?—"

"Yes him! It was so awful my father told me all about it—"

The air itself seemed to be overwhelmed with the sudden depletion of oxygen and Olivia could not help but laugh to herself as she sat down next to her sister. After the sudden outburst of conversation those who had not properly introduced themselves proudly stated their names and nobility of their families. The pretty blonde introduced herself as Katrina Williams and she did not seem to care what the other girls had to say. Olivia had the feeling that Victoria and this Katrina girl would not get along very well. She knew her sister well enough to understand that she would take this girl as a direct challenge not because she felt threatened by her beauty or nobility but rather to justly unseat her from the high pedestal she seemed to place herself on. After all introductions were finished, the girls proceeded to discuss the important matters of life; criticizing those who did not act with proper lady like behavior, their make-up techniques, their favorite teas and how they liked them, their best embroidery triumphs, their latest hair styles and fashions, and most importantly…

"I do believe that we'll all be married by next fall. I mean…can you imagine turning nineteen without a husband?" shuddered a mousy looking brunette.

"—a right disgrace if you ask me," replied the fair skinned, ebony haired girl to her left.

"All of the ladies in my family were married before their eighteenth birthday, a tradition I intend to keep," said Katrina stiffly.

"You know I really can't wait to get married. The idea of being the wife of a nobleman just puts me in a right state. I'll get to live with him and we can start a family together—"

Victoria could not believe what she was hearing.

"You do realize that once you marry you literally forfeit all of your freedoms…the few that we have anyway?" she interrupted.

"Well, yes but—"

"Not to mention that he will more than likely be twice your age if you're lucky and that you will become no more than a trophy wife to him," Victoria added repulsively.

Olivia silently kicked her beneath the table.

She laughed weakly, "Victoria, now is not the time for that sort of talk."

The table was silent for a moment as each young lady glanced awkwardly at one another.

"Well she is right about one thing," Katrina said finally, "we will inevitably become trophy wives but I find that rather pleasing…to be admired by other men who then realize they can't have you which makes you far more valuable than you could have ever imagined."

The table murmured in agreement, all except for Victoria and Olivia.

_So being admired and loved by all men is compensation enough for a lifetime of servitude and slavery to your husband. Oh yes, that makes much more sense, _thought Victoria sardonically. She would not say it out loud though; she had let her mouth get her into enough trouble for one day.

"But you are wrong about the age of the men," added Katrina slyly.

"How so? Most of the suitors I've seen have lived at least twice as many years as I have," replied Victoria.

"Well they are, indeed, usually older however I've recently learned that the wealthy owner of Barnett and Co. banking industry has passed not too long ago," she finished smirking.

"…and that would affect us how?" asked Olivia skeptically.

"Well he left everything to his eldest son who recently took to searching for a young wife. He is but twenty three years old and very handsome—"

That was all it took for the ladies at the table to gasp excitedly and begin chattering immediately.

"Imagine being married to him; a handsome, young man!"

"With his own banking company—"

"That would secure the family name permanently—"

"And there's a Barnett and Co. right in our very own town—"

Victoria just watched as the ladies at the table continued to daydream out loud while she thought to herself.

_A young suitor…well that's a pleasant surprise. But it's still servitude. It's only encased in a more richly decorated chest._

_I can't even imagine how competitive these girls would get to catch his eye. The second you say handsome they all turn into mindless concubines, _thought Olivia.

"Yes but I wouldn't get your hopes up," stated Katrina above all of the chattering.

The excited conversations ended abruptly.

"Why not?—"

"Yes, why not?—"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I heard that he plans to only even consider marrying the most attractive ladies on this side of the country. He's awfully picky about the women he even dances with, I can't imagine how picky he'd be with the one he actually chose to wed.

The table went silent. Victoria could almost hear the ladies' thoughts evaluating which of them even stood a chance. With that small fact half the girls sitting at the table were already eliminated from the competition. At least, that's how Katrina saw it, a mere competition of beauty. One she would not lose. At that moment, the double doors to the ballroom opened and a group of men walked proudly through canes in hand and chests puffed out.

"Suitors," whispered Olivia into her sister's ear.

Victoria turned to gaze at the men. Some were tall, others stout, some rather thin, others not so much, and all of them very well dressed and, as she expected, middle-aged. Some were completely unattractive and others had features that would have been very well attractive had old age not withered and buried them away beneath the wrinkles. She sighed and turned back in her seat.

_Will things ever change? _She thought. _I hope so, at least in my lifetime._

Meanwhile, their mother had managed to catch Olivia's eye and gave her the _you-know-what-you-must-do _look. Victoria noticed how suddenly many of the young ladies at the table became much more erect and graceful than before. The way they behaved seemed to change altogether the second the men had entered the room, laughing unnecessarily louder in order to catch the suitors' eyes.

_They can have their gazes, _thought Victoria bitterly, _It almost seems wrong that so old a man would stare so hungrily at young girls._

_The only man I wish to impress is back at the manor sweeping the barn, _thought Olivia as James' face formulated in her mind. Her cheeks warmed as she thought of how he had so gently kissed her hand earlier that morning. If she could decide for herself, she would marry James without a single hesitation. She remembered as if it were yester morning when Thomas had first brought James, who was nearing eighteen then, to their manor. She was so taken aback by his kindness and beautiful blue eyes that she could not look at him directly for several weeks. Slowly their romance had blossomed and every other day, at twilight, they would meet in the barn and gaze up at the stars together and talk, just talk. That was how she had fallen in love with him. She cared little about the suitors, their money, or their status, all she wanted was a life with him, with James.

After formally greeting the proud mothers, the suitors slowly started to approach and talk to the young ladies, gallantly bowing and kissing their hands. Victoria did not wish to be any part of it. She rose from her seat as a gray bearded suitor began conversing with Amelia Stratford.

"Where are you going?" asked Olivia.

"I don't know. Anywhere's better than here."

Olivia gave her the _you're-going-to-regret-it-later _look and shook her head. Victoria silently sighed in relief. She had Olivia's blessing and knew that she would not tell their mother of her absence. She began gracefully weaving herself through the crowd of ladies towards the open double doors. She had almost reached the end when her mother walked right in front of her, lips pursed and gloved hands folded tightly. Victoria immediately sensed danger.


	3. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Victoria Rose Beckett," asked her mother sternly, "where in heaven's name do you think you're going? The suitors have only just arrived and already you are retreating towards the exit. May I ask where you plan on going?"

Victoria had to think fast.

"Mother, I have just finished about five cups of tea and need to use the lavatory. Would you rather have me stay and bounce around everywhere in my seat?" she replied.

Her mother's eyes narrowed slightly but she gave a curt nod and stepped aside to let her pass. Once through the double doors and out of the suitors reach, Victoria sighed with relief and walked slowly down the hall and took in the breathtaking sight of the hotel lobby. She would have to keep herself occupied long enough until the tea party was almost over before slipping back inside the ballroom.  
_And no one will be the wiser, _she thought to herself.

After admiring the hotel for a few more minutes, she decided to use the lavatory so that the lie she had hold her mother would no longer actually be one. She asked another bellboy and he gladly directed her.

The bathroom was equally beautiful as the rest of the building. Glistening marble counter tops with stunningly decorated basins and pitchers filled with water and rose petals.

_Wow they've really left nothing to spare._

Victoria could not help but look into the mirror at her reflection. A pretty yet firm face stared back at her. Her green eyes intense with the will and strength that burned behind them. The will that sometimes got the best of her. She was already eighteen years old and still not married. Her mother tired endlessly with invitations to parties such as these to find her and Olivia a husband and yet here she was, thanks to her stubbornness, hiding from them all. She was being selfish with herself, not wanting to give in to anyone purely out of bitterness because she had no say in who she would wed. Yet back in the ballroom, Olivia remained ever loyal to protect her sister and willingly faced the unwanted attention of the suitors.

Sighing to herself, Victoria turned and headed for the door.

_I may be hiding from my fate but I refuse to let my sister face hers alone._

Walking briskly back towards the hotel lobby, she quickly rounded the corner and headed for the hall that lead towards the ballroom.

_How could I have left her there all alone with those girls, not to mention the suitors? What kind of sister—_

But Victoria never did finish that thought, as she rounded the final corner into the ballroom hallway, she walked right into a young man and would have fallen flat on her face had he not caught her by the arms.

"Whoa, Miss! Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes I am. Oh, I am so sorry sir. I didn't even—"

"Well it's quite alright. Amusing, I was just explaining to my friend here how hard it is to find an astoundingly beautiful young lady these days and behold…one falls into my very arms," said the young man.

Victoria was speechless. Here she nearly and embarrassingly almost knocks over a man and he has the bravado to compliment her.

"…Why… thank you sir. I do sincerely apologize for my clumsiness," said Victoria, regaining her composure and looking up at her rescuer.

A tall, extremely handsome young man smiled back at her with hazel eyes. Realizing that he was still holding her, Victoria gently retrieved her hands.

"Not at all miss-uh…" he gazed at her.

"Victoria Rose Beckett," she replied.

"Miss Beckett," he smiled, "a pleasure."

He gazed at her a moment longer then as if broken out of a trance added, "How rude of me. I don't believe I've introduced myself, Aldrich W. Barnett at your service."

He lowered himself into a low bow and kissed Victoria's hand. Victoria's once strong-willed mind became feeble when she looked into this young man's face, her intense eyes became blind, and her locked up heart broke itself free in his gaze.

"My friend here is a close associate of mine. His name is Halbert Emerson," he added.

The man next to him looked slightly older than he with narrow gray eyes and a tight thin mouth. He gave Victoria a curt nod.

"Aldrich, shouldn't we be heading to the ballroom. We're already late for the party," Halbert stated.

"Of course," he replied not taking his gaze off Victoria, "I do hope you are also attending this frivolous gathering."

"Unfortunately, I am, but I do suspect that coming this afternoon might have been worth it after all," she smiled thoughtfully.

Aldrich's eyes remained focused but the corners of his mouth seemed to tug upwards slightly.

"Please do not let this be the last time we meet, Miss Beckett."

With that he gave her hand one final kiss and strolled into the ballroom. Victoria gave out a low sigh and shook her head.

_And after all these years, I thought nothing in my predictable life would ever catch me off guard. How wrong I was…_

Back inside the ballroom, Olivia was tapping her foot anxiously on the ground awaiting Victoria's return.

_Victoria had better get back soon or we'll both be in hot water._

The ladies at the table continued to prattle on but their immediate silence made Olivia awaken from her thoughts. She glanced at their faces and noticing their looks of utter amazement and delight turned to gaze at whatever caused such admiration. A fine-looking young man and one other had just entered the ballroom and from what Olivia could tell was turning quite a few of the ladies heads, young and old.

_I'd bet Victoria's favorite steed that he is Barnett._

"That's him!" hissed Katrina to the gaping girls.

Olivia nodded to herself smiling.

"He's absolutely—"

"Amazing—"

"Gorgeous—"

"Perfect—" sighed Amelia.

"May the best woman win," said Katrina, gracefully rising from her seat and walking towards the gentlemen.

The remaining girls glanced around anxiously at one other and scrambled up, trying their best to mimic Katrina's grace, leaving Olivia sitting by herself.

_And they're off. _

The room had gone back into its usual buzz of conversation but with an underlying air of excitement.

"I'm back," panted Victoria sitting back into her chair and looking over at the swarm of girls that had just surrounded the new guest.

Olivia jumped slightly startled.

"Where did you come from?—Nevermind that. Where have you been? I was waiting for mother to come and begin interrogating me on you whereabouts," she said darkly.

"Sorry Olivia but you'll never guess whose arms I fell into out in the hall," she said excitedly.

"Don't tell me they were Barnett's," she replied slightly gasping.

"Yes! And he went on about how _astoundingly beautiful_ I was. Can you believe that? He was such a gentlemen and here I thought he was going to be this snobby rich boy who spends more time counting his money and gazing in the mirror than catching fallen maidens," she finished laughing, "Have you seen how attractive he is?"

"I couldn't have ignored him if I tried. The girls had their jaws resting on the table before you got here," she laughed.

"I guess marrying a suitor won't be as bad as I'd imagined," said Victoria with a small smile.

"Not if you marry him it won't. But Victoria you never really know what a man's really like until you wed him. What if he's an awful person or worse yet, awful to _you_?" asked Olivia with a frown.

"He won't be," she answered rather quickly. Olivia stared at her sister for a moment then sighed.

"You're just as bad as they are. The second he walked in their eyes became as large as the teacups. I wouldn't be surprised if he was into magic of some kind the way he snapped you out of your stubbornness," she stated rather annoyed.

"What do you mean? There has to be a man worth marrying in this country and Olivia I think I've found him."

"I don't know Victoria."

The remainder of the tea party was a blur for Olivia. It had not been very difficult to stay out of the suitors' sights since the plethora of rabid young women had all but held their gazes. Her sister had gone up and danced with the new guest for only a few songs by the time the other ladies had worn out their feet with him. Olivia noticed that he seemed to pay a considerable amount of attention to both Katrina and Victoria. A deadly combination if there was one. However, what seemed to surprise Olivia the most was how good of a dancer Victoria was. She laughed to herself.

_I guess she was paying attention when mother gave us all our dance lessons._

Olivia turned her gaze to a man and the mousy brunette that had been sitting with them earlier. He was busily conversing with what seemed to be her mother, who was beaming. The mother 

nodded. Mousy was standing next to him, only half her face visible to Olivia, though from what she could tell, she was smiling.

_Probably making plans to meet with her father to discuss a possible marriage arrangement. Hopefully it's not as bad as Victoria believes it is._

She turned her head back towards her mother who was positively beaming from earring to earring at the sight of her stubborn daughter finally warming up to one of the finer looking suitors. Olivia sighed for what seemed to be the eighth time or was it the ninth? She was ready to go home.

_It has to be at least five hours after noon, _she thought to herself,_ I hope we leave soon. I have to meet James. _

The party began to quiet as guests steadily made their way towards the ballroom's double doors. Olivia took the chance to stroll to her mother across the room. She had just finished wishing another lady goodnight.

"Mother, are we not finished yet. I'm rather tired," she said stifling a yawn.

"Yes, my darling. It is time we take our leave."

"I'll go retrieve Victoria," she finished.

By the time Victoria and Aldrich had finished saying their goodbyes and farewells, Olivia had half the mind to remove her heeled shoes right in the middle of the room and walk barefoot back to the carriage.

"My feet won't survive the ride back!" she had hissed in Victoria's ear.

Eventually she, her sister, and mother walked through the front lobby of the hotel, thanked and complimented the manager and boarded the carriage for their journey home.

"So I guess coming this afternoon was worth it afterall?" smirked Olivia to her sister.

"I suppose you could say it was pleasant enough," replied Victoria smiling.

"You really couldn't take your eyes of Aldrich could you?"

"Believe me Olivia, I tried," she responded humorously.

"Would you accept his proposal if he offered one?"

Victoria paused for a moment, thinking to herself.

"I really don't know," she finally said, "but he's definitely got my attention."


	4. Chapter 5

**Note: I know that some of you are probably wondering where the heck vamps and weres come into all this. Please be patient. This story is important to me and I want to do it right. They'll come…a lot sooner than you think. As for the M rating. There's a reason for it. Not in this chapter necessarily but really soon! Next chapter's gonna be a real treat!**

Chapter 5

The journey back was silent except for a few praises their mother had given them for _being seen_. The carriage rattled and creaked as the horses trotted back towards the manor. The dry dirt road crunched loudly under all the weight. Olivia didn't notice though, her mind too busy with its own thoughts. Once they pulled up to the manor, the girls tiredly exited the coach followed by their equally fatigued mother. The night was cool and the moon's scarred crescent smiled at them. Their mother went inside the manor without a glance backwards. Victoria and Olivia followed suit briefly greeting their father on their way up to their rooms. Neither bothered to tell him the details of the afternoon since their mother would more than likely update him.

"See you in the morning, sister," yawned Victoria making her way farther down the third floor hallway past Olivia's own bedroom.

"Goodnight," replied Olivia closing the door behind her.

She quickly changed out of her gown, put on her simple nightdress and slipped into her night slippers. Grabbing her hooded cloak from her wardrobe, she draped it over her shoulders and fastened it around her neck. After briskly crossing the room she opened the window overlooking the main lawn and observed the ground three stories beneath her. All was still except for the steady swaying of the pine tree tops in the night breeze. Olivia swung her leg over the windowsill and felt for the concrete ledge. Once her foot was firmly set she swung the other leg over still holding tightly onto the windowsill. She sidestepped her way to the edge of her window and steadied herself for the short yet terrifying six foot gap to the next windowsill. Olivia was not scared however, she had been sneaking out to see James for the better of 8 months and had gotten so skilled at the tight walk of the ledge that it no longer bothered her to look down at the ground while doing so. She tiptoed quickly and firmly grabbed the next window ledge which belonged to the spare bedroom that separated her and her sister's room. Once at the edge of the house and hanging onto the ledge of her sister's room, she firmly gripped the tin pipe that carried the water from the roof to the ground and carefully slid down to the second story then the first. She jumped the remaining five feet and sprinted across the main lawn towards the dark barn. The distant and sorrowful howls of wolves softly echoed through the night causing the hair on the back of Olivia's neck to prickle. She quietly opened the door of the barn and crept inside. The deep breathing and occasional movements of the horses in their stalls were the only noises coming from within. She gently shushed and patted one steed that had become anxious with her presence and continued down the length of the barn. She slowly crept up the ladder to the hay loft wondering where James could be. Then out of the darkness above, a head peered over the ledge and extended a hand. Smiling, she gladly took it and was immediately lifted onto the hay loft. She stared at the shadowed figure in front of her and quickly rushed into James' arms, embracing him. He gently stroked her hair. She could feel the beat of his steady heart and felt safe in his strong arms. After what seemed like seconds to Olivia, James gently took her hand lead her up a second ladder onto the barn roof where a soft blanket lay, waiting for the two of them. They both lay down on the sloped roof, hands still intertwined, and gazed up at the heavens together. James finally spoke.

"I was so worried today I couldn't even do my work right," he said softly.

Olivia lay there listening.

"I even cut my hand sharpening the axe. That's how mindless I was."

"You don't have to be. Nothing happened. No proposals or anything."

"Not today but eventually," he said sitting up, "Maybe tomorrow or the day after or next month or next year but my point is that I don't want to wait around for you to become enaged. I want you for myself Olivia. I don't want to have to share you…with anybody."

Olivia smiled. She could see, even in the darkness, his blue eyes shining with truth. She loved James, she knew it, he knew it, Victoria knew it, but that was all. Her parents neither knew nor would probably care unless he had the money or property that would deem him a prospective suitor.

"James, believe me, if it were my decision, I would have married you eight months ago."

She could see him smiling softly in the darkness.

"Olivia, I want to marry you. You're all I think about…and…and I cannot think of a single person that I would rather spend the rest of my life with," he quickly finished.

Olivia's heart fluttered and happiness immediately swelled up inside her.

"I've been saving up all of my wages for almost a year now and I think by autumn I'll have enough to buy my own land and start a farming business," he said quickly, "I'll make a proposal to your parents and hopefully we'll be married by winter."

Olivia was beaming by this point and threw herself at James, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I would love to be your wife," she whispered.

James gently held the side of her face and moved a lock of Olivia's hair from her cheek. He tipped her chin with his fingers and then lifted himself up and placed his lips onto hers. Olivia opened her mouth slightly and James began to gently move his lips. Olivia wished more than anything to be frozen in that moment under the stars with the man she loved, with James. She didn't know how long they were on the barn roof that night only that she had never been happier in her life.

Over the next few months and well into mid-summer, Victoria continued to receive expensive gifts from Aldrich. Her wardrobe became slightly fuller than usual and she had even given Olivia the pretty emerald gown she had been admiring. Their parents were delighted. If Aldrich proposed to Victoria, the rest of their lives would be worriless and well spent. With that in mind, they continued to allow their daughter to spend the day with him in the town, horseback-riding, and most importantly as a date to his many high class parties. Needless to say, Victoria's lady-like behavior became flawless, however this did not detain her from discussing politics or her modern ideas for society with any man who would listen. She became used to getting reprimanded by her parents because of this. However, what pleased her more was the fact that Aldrich didn't seem to mind it much either…to an extent. This unto itself made Victoria very happy.

One afternoon in mid-August found Olivia and Victoria lying flat, on the orchard grounds, head to head, staring up at the sky and picking out shapes within the puffy white clouds.

"He hopes to save enough money by autumn and then make his proposal," finished Olivia excitedly.

"Wow and he's really serious about all this?"

"More serious than I've ever seen him."

"I hope you marry him, Olivia. I've never seen you so happy in my life. That is apart from being with me of course," Victoria finished humorously.

Olivia laughed. Having a sister to confide in was a priceless commodity that made life bearable in a time when ladies weren't allowed to voice their pains and opinions. She reached blindly for Victoria's outstretched arms and took her hand, squeezing it.

"Thank you Victoria, for being here for me," she said.

"It's my primary purpose in life, Olivia, you know that."

Olivia smiled to herself. She did know that and that alone made her stronger. Victoria felt the same way, without Olivia she'd be incomplete. She was a vital half to her existence without which, there would _be_ no Victoria, no complimentary half of her soul. The very fear she simply could not bear the thought of.

"That one right there looks like a wolf howling."

As summer came to end, the once brilliantly green leaves of the orchards transformed into vibrant and breathtaking shades of gold and vermillion. The evergreen forest pines dropped their 

needles preparing for the frigid winter ahead and the smell of decomposing leaves and grass filled the air along with the scent of burning wood as the nights grew colder. Heating the freezing manor became a household chore unto itself. Every fireplace was ignited in order to heat the house to a comfortable temperature as well as all the oil sconces that lined the hallways. Fall had arrived and winter was closely on his heels.

"You marvel me sometimes," Aldrich told Victoria one evening as he escorted her home by carriage from a dinner party.

"What do you mean by that?"

He smiled.

"What I mean is that you're the most…God I can't even think of the word…What I'm trying to say is that I've never met a woman so ahead of her time before. It's truly remarkable how you think and how you're so passionate about everything you argue for. You truly amaze me, Victoria," he finished brushing his fingers lightly against her cheek. The coach came to a crunching halt in front of the manor. Aldrich exited first and helped Victoria down the steps.

"Well I'm glad you appreciate it because I don't plan on changing any time soon."

"And yet I can't seem to get enough of it," he chuckled to himself. Victoria smiled at him.

_Sweet Aldrich, where have you been all my life?_

He looked at her for a moment, his jaw set.

"I plan on making my proposal to your parents soon. I want you to be my wife and bear me handsome sons that we can raise together."

Victoria looked up in surprise at Aldrich's face. His eyes were locked onto her, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Are you certain?"

"I'm always certain when it comes to what I want," he replied.

"It's your decision—"

"And I have decided."

Victoria nodded smiling softly and wished him goodnight. As she began to walk towards the doors of the manor, she felt Aldrich grab a hold of her wrist. She turned around, a puzzled look on her face.

"Victoria, I can't say I haven't been contemplating it since the first day I met you but…may I kiss you?" he asked gently, eyes blazing with the intensity of his otherwise soft spoken words.

Victoria was taken aback slightly by the hunger in his eyes. She knew that such an act of intimacy was forbidden for any unmarried woman and getting caught in such an act would taint her reputation and dishonor her family. But Aldrich was different, special, and she was in love with him.

"Only if you promise not to break my heart," she replied softly.

"Never," was all he responded as he closed the gap between their lips.

Aldrich's kiss was passionate and demanding but Victoria thoroughly enjoyed it since she too shared these qualities. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her up against his body while the other hand firmly held the side of her face. Victoria barely had enough time to gasp for air before Aldrich's mouth claimed hers again. The forest was silent and there was no glowing moon that night leaving their moment of passion safely hidden in the shadows.

As September slipped into the month of October, the pumpkin patches swelled with the grand orange fruit meant for the All Hallows Eve celebration. The splendid masque ball was to be held at the Barnett mansion this year and all middle and upper class citizens were invited for a night of food, drink, social interaction and enjoyment. Needless to say the entire town was in a buzz of excitement and apprehension for the night's events. The ball quickly became the talk of the town and noblemen, women, and their eligible daughters from nearby towns began streaming in to attend this rich businessman's party.

The morning of the ball dawned refreshingly cool and a rainbow of colors seemed to reflect from the moist dew that clung to the forest pines and orchard groves. The manor was in a right bustle the entire day, harvesting and delivering ripe pumpkins of all sizes to the Barnett mansion for the grand masque. The entire citizen population seemed to be pitching in supplies and decorations to make this year's celebration the most elaborate in the town's history. By mid afternoon, Victoria and Olivia had begun getting ready, curling their long hair into exquisite plaits, and draping themselves in the detailed layers of their ball gowns. Olivia had decided to wear the pretty emerald green gown with the intricate gold design and delicate lace bell sleeves that her sister had given her. Her mask sparkled with the gold and bronze beads that beautifully matched the rich blossoms in her hair. Victoria chose a midnight blue gown with thin pouf sleeves and arm length white gloves, her mask sewn with dazzling gold and purple beads that brought out the vibrant colors of the peacock feathers she wore in her hair.

By the time all three ladies of the house were ready, evening had set in and the carriage that would take them to the masquerade with their father was waiting in front of the manor. The girls boarded, masks in hand, without a word but hushed excitement filled their steps and movements. Once seated, they smiled at each other. One thing they could be sure of, this day would not be one they would ever forget. They sat in silence within the carriage excitedly anticipating the night that lay before them.


	5. Chapter 6

**Note: This chapter contains MATURE CONTENT. You have been warned! Thanks for being so patient with this one. It's a lot longer than usual and I hope that all who read it enjoy it. Expect next chapter to be pretty exciting…think fire! Reviews are always welcome but I can understand that since this is just the foundation of the storyline, characters, etc. that it would be difficult to review much but comments about the characters, events, details, or the story in general are always welcomed! Enjoy! **

Chapter 6

The horses whinnied and pounded the cobblestone with their hooves as the carriage came to a stop in front of the grand Barnett mansion. The house itself seemed to glow like a beacon in the night beckoning all who were nearby to come and join in her festivities. From what Olivia could see, there was a good fifty or so carriages already neatly parked on either side of the road. The very route to the mansion was a beeline cobblestone pathway that connected to the elliptical driveway where an elegant white marble fountain graced the center.

Once Victoria and her sister exited the coach, they could not help but stare in awe at the luminous sight before them. Handsomely dressed ladies and gentleman strolled up the grand marble steps that lead the way up to the mansion. Large hand-painted vases with exotic looking plants lined either side of the stairs and vibrantly boasted of their expensiveness and rarity. Victoria turned to see her father muttering to the coachmen who nodded and gently whipped the reins leading the carriage away from them. Victoria adjusted her mask, grateful that she would not have to hold it this evening. Her mother had brilliantly and firmly attached the wrap-around mask to her daughters' hair near the ears. Olivia rather enjoyed the mystery the mask brought her. It was as if she saw the world through a completely new set of eyes while Victoria enjoyed the sense of freedom they gave her.

"Shall we ladies," asked their father curtly.

Their mother nodded and gracefully led the way up the stone steps towards the entrance. The great double doors of the mansion were wide open allowing the guests to enter at will. As they entered the great entrance hall, Victoria could not help but look up at the glass chandelier that dazzled and burned with dozens of small wax candles, leaving the room in semi darkness. Two large grand staircases lined either side of the enormous foyer and curved, meeting in the center where the second story of the house seemed to branch off. Glowing jack-o-lanterns of all shapes and sizes were placed on every other step all the way up the stairs emitting a flickering dance on the nearby walls. Olivia noticed that the guests seemed to be making their way off towards the left side of the house.

_That must be where the ballroom is, _she thought.

They followed the small crowd through what appeared to be a parlor of some kind except on a much larger scale. As they made their way through the mansion, Victoria noticed that many guests were simply standing around in small groups and talking to each other. Their colorfully vibrant masks sparkled in the light and some of the gowns, she noticed, were absolutely gorgeous. Finely polished and intricate furniture filled the rooms along with well stocked beveled glass brandy containers. Crackling fires brightened each room in their iron gated fire mantels. Hand painted canvas portraits lined the richly colored walls with landscapes of exotic countries, familiar countrysides, and great ancestors who seemed to almost come alive in the flickering firelight.

_Right about now, I really wish I had a few more sets of eyes, _thought Victoria.

After making their way through the largest and by far the grandest house, any of them had ever seen they walked through a final pair of double doors into the most beautifully exquisite ballroom their eyes had ever gazed upon. White painted walls with delicately decorated gold designs rose all the way up to the vaulted ceilings as though they could reach the heavens. The ballroom itself was so grand that it took a handful of large chandeliers to properly light up the entire space. And then there was the dance floor itself. Olivia had never seen so many people in a single place at once before. Yards upon yards of uniquely colored satin, lace, and silk blinded the eyes as they twisted and twirled to the echoing waltz being played by the orchestra. The beads and feathers in the sea of countless masks glistened and shined as the gentle light washed over every surface.

"Now girls," said their mother, "your father and I are off to dance the waltz. Please be on your best behavior, you may very well find your future husbands here."

With that, both Victoria and Olivia were left on their own to enjoy the night that lay ahead of them.

"I really wish James were here," sighed Olivia, "I would love to dance the waltz with him."

"That would be a sight," replied Victoria lightly swaying her dress to the music, "My sister, dancing with her fairytale prince under the dazzling lights."

"Wouldn't it?" said Olivia quietly, more to herself than her sister.

"And what makes you so sure that it's not simply a fairytale?" came a voice behind them.

Olivia quickly turned around and gasped. There stood James in a simple dark brown coat and tunic. His sapphire eyes twinkled behind his bronze mask. Olivia rushed forward and took his hands but not before James swept into a low bow and gently planted a kiss on her wrist.

"James, what are you doing here? How did you even get here? Are your parents here?—" she stopped quickly glancing at his outfit, "I didn't even know you owned a ball tunic."

James laughed.

"I came to spend All Hallows Eve with you. I arrived by horse. No my parents are not here. And for your information, I bought this tunic only recently," he finished smiling.

"How did you even recognize me?" asked Olivia.

"I could never mistake your beauty, hidden behind a mask or not."

Olivia was positively beaming and her happiness seemed to make her that much more radiant.

"So James, I do suspect that you plan on sweeping my dear sister off her feet and whisking her away on your horse to some castle somewhere. May I please have the location so that I may visit her?" finished Victoria humorously.

Both James and Olivia laughed.

"No none of that, I promise you," he responded lightly.

"Now before another word is said," he added bowing slightly with an extended hand, "Olivia, would you honor me with a dance?"

"Nothing would please me more," she replied placing her hand in his.

Olivia left with James down the steps towards the dance floor but not before turning and smiling happily at her sister. Watching the guests dancing the waltz did very much remind Victoria of a fairytale.

_Now where is my prince, _she thought.

She did not see Aldrich until a half hour or so later when he politely interrupted her waltz with another young man.

"May I interrupt," he asked.

The young man dancing with Victoria obliged and excused himself.

"I was wondering when I'd find you," he said as he gently took her waist and free hand.

Aldrich wore a charcoal colored coat with silver fastenings and threading. His mask adorned with a single black raven feather.

"And I was wondering when you would arrive at your own masque ball," she added.

He smiled to himself and he twirled Victoria.

"I was having a brandy with my business associates. You look gorgeous by the way," he added eyes lingering on her bodice.

"Thank you," she replied smiling, "and you look mysterious. Interesting choice to mask behind a raven. A keeper of secrets no doubt?"

"To all but you, my love."

"Really Aldrich, I find that highly attractive in you."

"More you than I. It drives me crazy how I can never be sure what you are thinking. And just when I believe I have you all figured out. You surprise me yet again."

Aldrich let go of Victoria and bowed as she curtsied and then reunited continuing the waltz.

"I surprise myself sometimes."

"Another reason why you'd make a fine wife."

"To keep you entertained," she asked raising an eyebrow.

"No but to keep me guessing."

"Funny…because there are still so many unanswered questions I have about you."

"And yet you seem to know me better than many of my good friends. However do you manage that?" he added smiling, "But if you do still have question then I am a man of answers."

"Well, I'm in a rather playful mood so how about…oh, I know one. I still don't know what makes you happy."

"Being with you makes me happy."

Returning his smile, she lightly brushed her hand near this thigh mid twirl.

"Really?"

"Really," he answered his eyes growing intense.

"But what else?"

"I enjoy the luxuries my business brings me but they prove rather useless when you don't have someone you love to share them with."

"So you would rather have true love than the luxuries?"

"I guess you can say that but I very much enjoy the luxuries," he laughed.

"Understandable."

"Why what makes you happy," he reciprocated.

"Keeping you guessing," she replied smiling playfully.

Aldrich laughed darkly and firmly took hold of her waist and effortlessly lifted her in a turn along with the other gentlemen and their partners.

"See what I mean?" stated Aldrich.

Victoria laughed and beamed at him. They danced for a couple hours more before he politely excused himself. Before leaving, he leaned in to kiss her but she quickly pushed him away. He looked annoyed after his rejection.

"Not now," replied Victoria sternly, "we are in public and more importantly _not_ married."

Aldrich let out an exasperated sigh before replying, "Not yet."

"Well, as soon as we're married, you can have me."

"A night I eagerly look forward to," he replied in a low voice.

Victoria managed a small smile.

"Look forward to the lifetime we'll spend together," she corrected.

Aldrich nodded and with that, he turned and headed off towards the parlor where his business associates awaited his return. Victoria passed the next couple of hours politely dancing with a few additional men, young and old. She enjoyed watching Olivia and James waltz in their own little world, as if no one else was there. They gazed lovingly into each other's eyes to the point where Victoria couldn't even continue to look at them, feeling as if she was intruding in on a very personal moment. Tired of dancing and gazing at others, she decided to tour the mansion a bit more. She strolled past small groups of men and women who smiled and laughed, flirting with one another, drinks in hand. Victoria laughed to herself.

_The masks are not the only thing these people are acting under the influence of._

She noticed that many of the guests were significantly less graceful in their mannerisms and speech than at the start of the ball. Victoria spent the next hour or so observing the countless portraits that lined the walls throughout the mansion. Having to repeatedly decline the requests and advancements made by some rather off-balanced characters. Merry laughter filled every room and some of the guests even took to dancing in the parlor, whether or not it was due to their inability to successfully locate the ballroom was anybody's guess. She eventually wandered her way to the base of one of the grand staircases in the entrance hall and looked curiously up at the darkened second story level.

_Hmm. Wonder it's like up there?_ _I really shouldn't…but…one little peak won't hurt anybody._

Smiling to herself, mind made up, she gripped the front of her dress with her gloved hands and ascended the grand staircase. Once at the top, she looked around inquisitively. Dark oak doors lined both sides of the wide hallway. Small jack-o-lanterns cast eerie shadows on the richly decorated walls, rendering only a slight bit of useful light. It was enough however for Victoria to carefully maneuver herself down the wide hall without bumping into anything. She instinctively made a right upon reaching three-way fork. The longer she continued to walk, the quieter the laughter and waltz music became as she made her way deeper into the West wing of the mansion. Handsome wrought iron door handles graced every magnificently carved door. Small marble statues of naked women in different poses could be found in the mildly frequent wall niches and nooks. Eventually, the luminous carved pumpkins disappeared and the oil lantern wall sconces gently burned and flickered in the darkness. All was silent around her for she had long left the East wing and ballroom behind. A rather antique and ancient looking door caught her eye. She gripped the cold iron handle and slowly pushed open the door with a creak and found herself in an extraordinary study. Shelves upon shelves of leather-bound books covered every wall. A lone maple desk sat in the very center of the room and was covered in shiny brass trinkets and strange looking navigation tools. A few strides behind it stood a large telescope and drape-covered windows. Victoria walked further into the room and went directly toward one of the shelves. She loved to read but both society and her father strictly regulated her extensive booklist. Glancing at the spines of each book she found only a rather boring collection of law records and business accounts. She turned away from the shelf, disappointment reflected in her features, and began to investigate the strange telescope near the vast windows. She had only seen such an instrument in her father's restricted book selves when she managed to sneak a quick read. She gently ran her fingers along the smooth length of the contraption admiring its ingenious design. Victoria looked down, curiously noticing how the beveled glass windows seemed to continue all the way to the ground.

_It's probably the door to a balcony or something,_ she thought.

An idea suddenly occurred to her.

_I've always wanted to observe the night sky through one of these things. Oh how beautiful it must be._

With one hand, she pushed aside the obscuring drapes and froze. She was not alone.

Outside on the balcony were two shadowy figures, one shorter than the other. They appeared to be leaning against each other though Victoria could not entirely tell through the beveled glass window. Taking a breath, she grasped the handle of the balcony door and turned. She swung the door open and stopped breathing. Out on the balcony, stood Aldrich holding someone who Victoria recognized immediately as Katrina, mask or no mask. Realizing that they were no longer alone, Aldrich quickly pushed her away from him and turned to see who the intruder was.

"Victoria!...darling," he stammered, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied calmly, "How are you Katrina? Enjoying the ball I hope?"

Katrina did not answer her. Instead, she merely looked from Aldrich to Victoria and immediately to the ground. Without so much as an _excuse me _she walked past Victoria leaving plenty of room between their bodies and out the door. There was a creak and loud _click_ as the door shut behind her. Victoria, remembering how to breathe properly, glared at Aldrich.

"It was nothing, my love," he responded, regaining his composure, "I was just showing her—"

"How to properly coordinate her mouth and yours?" she interrupted coldly. Her mind was in a painful buzz.

_No, not Aldrich. Not my sweet Aldrich._

"Now darling, you're overreacting," he said pointedly.

The pain filled buzz in Victoria's mind stopped, anger taking its place.

"Overreacting?" she asked calmly, dangerously.

"Yes, my love. It was only a kiss and I've had a few brandies," he went on.

Victoria was speechless.

"And that justifies your repulsive behavior? You disgust me!"

And with that she turned on her heel and angrily began marching out of the study. She had only gone a few feet when he painfully grabbed her by the wrist.

"Now Victoria, I know you didn't mean that. Now apologize and we can go down and enjoy the remainder of the ball."

Victoria tried to yank her wrist away from him but his grip only tightened.

"Victoria…," he warned.

"I'm not going to apologize to the likes of you. I've committed no wrong!" she snapped, "Now let go of me!"

She continued yanking at her bruised wrist but his grasp on her gloved arm remained firm.

"Victoria, I warn you," he murmured, eyes flashing dangerously, "Do as I say and apologize."

"Never," she whispered coldly, glaring straight into his burning hazel eyes.

"Then you leave me no choice. If we are to be married, I want a wife who will recognize her superior and obey all commands."

A second later Victoria was thrown into the nearest bookshelf which moaned under the sudden force. She slumped slightly but managed to pick herself up. Caught off guard, she quickly regained her senses. Her shoulder throbbed with the dull yet piercing pain from the blow.

"I'm sorry I have to do this to you, my love, but you must learn."

Victoria's mind filled with fear as he approached her.

"Aldrich! What are you doing?"

He grabbed her again and slammed her against the wall near another bookshelf. Out of desperation, Victoria grabbed the nearest book and swung it with all her strength into the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. She made a desperate sprint towards the closed door. She grabbed the handle and began to turn it when a large hand grabbed a handful of her curled hair and pulled. She winced in pain as she felt a few locks get yanked out and was thrown back to the ground. Aldrich calmly walked to the door, pulled out a key from his pocket and locked it. Victoria was breathing heavily by now and gazed up at him in fear as he replaced the key back into his coat pocket. He walked to the maple desk and gently took off his mask, setting it down near the inkwell. Victoria was desperately looking around for a weapon, something, anything, that could help her defend herself and get out of this awful room. She saw a large glass brandy container and dived to grab it but Aldrich was too fast. He caught her gloved arm before she could throw it and squeezed it tightly. She clenched her free hand into a fist and swung it as hard as she could into his face. She punched him squarely in the jaw and he was caught off balance momentarily before lunging at her fleeing figure. He grabbed her by the waist and threw her to the ground again, using his arms and sheer weight to pin her down. She desperately struggled to free herself but she couldn't no matter how hard she tried, she just wasn't as strong as him.

"Victoria, your behavior is far worse than I thought," he panted, "…and you leave me no choice…the only way for you to truly understand obedience is if…you're so stubborn…it's the only way," he finished.

He yanked off her mask and threw it across the room.

"Aldrich, why are you doing this?" she panted. Her whole body was throbbing. She had never felt pain like this before.

"I'm doing this because I love you. And I want you to finally understand how this world of ours works. It's the only way," he whispered gently touching the side of her face. Victoria jerked away.

"You leave me no choice."

And with that he began undoing the belt of his trousers. Victoria's eyes widened in fear.

_Oh God, no!_

"Aldrich, please," she begged as she began to struggle once again, "please don't do this!"

Next he went for her petticoat. Forcefully pushing up the layers of her gown, he began yanking fiercely at her undergarments. Victoria desperately grabbed his face sinking her nails into his flesh with all her strength. Aldrich yelled in pain and with the back of his hand, smacked her across the cheek. Still struggling, he finally managed to rip Victoria's petticoat.

"Stop! Let go of me! Aldrich, please don't do this!" she pleaded.

Aldrich grabbed both of her thrashing hands and pinned them above her head. He nudged her legs open with his knees and then thrusted himself into her with a deep grunt. Victoria gasped, wincing as a searing pain blossomed between her thighs. A second later he thrust again and Victoria arched her back desperately trying to move herself away from him. He thrust fiercely again and again moaning as she cried out in pain. Agonizing pain, ripping pain that seemed to echo and ripple all across her body like waves of fire. Aldrich's face remained in an animal like snarl as his strokes became quicker and deeper. He continued to mercilessly slam himself into Victoria and urgently moved his pelvis in an excruciating rocking rhythm. His breathing becoming raspier as her pain intensified. She was wincing painfully praying for it to be over soon as she struggled uselessly against Aldrich. After what seemed like an eternity, with one final brutal stroke, Aldrich groaned loudly, inhaled deeply and stopped, breathing heavily. A single tear rolled down Victoria's cheek. He let go of her hands and got up, fixing his trousers. She lay there frozen in fear and pain. After gazing at her for a moment, Aldrich strolled over to her, picked her up like a bride and laid her down in a nearby lounge sofa. He gently stroked her cheek.

"It's only fair," he finally whispered.

Aldrich walked towards the door but stopped mid step and turned to face Victoria.

"Oh and I wouldn't advise informing anyone of this event. I wouldn't want anything to happen to your dear sister or her secret love with that farm hand's son. If anyone ever found out about that," he clicked his tongue disapprovingly, "your family would surely be in a bit of a spot. We don't want any terrible accidents to happen to any of them now do we?"

Victoria stared at him in disbelief and shock.

"I have eyes everywhere, my love. Do not underestimate me."

He turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him with a _click_.

The second Aldrich had left, Victoria broke down and wept. Her whole body trembled violently with the trauma and pain that still lingered in the air. She had imagined her wedding night as something so beautiful and passionate but this…this made her feel tainted and worthless. She cried and cried as her blood-stained petticoat lay ripped on the floor.

Downstairs, all was well. The laughter continued along with the dancing. After tiring from the waltz, Olivia and James took to looking for Victoria, who was nowhere to be found. Olivia grew worried.

"Where could she have gone?" she asked James.

"I don't know but don't fret Olivia, we'll find her," he replied encouragingly, "Perhaps she's with Aldrich."

"No she wouldn't go with anyone, let alone any man, without telling me first."

"Olivia," called someone from the crowd.

Olivia turned at the sound of her name and saw her mother and father weaving through the swarm of people towards them. She quickly turned to James.

"James you must go. If my parents see you here, it'll be too suspicious. They know you don't attend these sorts of parties."

James nodded and quickly planted a gentle kiss on her cheek before swiftly merging into the crowd.

"Who was that Olivia?" asked her mother.

"Oh some gentleman I danced with. I think the drinks made him rather bold," she laughed weakly.

"Oh well did you impress him? He may be your future husband."

"Maybe," she replied, smiling to herself.

Her parents were tired and the night was late by the time they decided to take their leave but Victoria was still nowhere to be found.

"Perhaps she is waiting for us in the entrance hall," suggested her mother who was especially cheery from her drinks.

They navigated their way through the remaining guests and entered the hall looking for their missing daughter.

_Oh Victoria, where are you? _Thought Olivia worriedly.

"There you are dear! We've been looking all over for you," exclaimed their mother.

Olivia whirled around and saw Victoria descending the grand staircase. Although she couldn't be sure, she thought that her sister seemed to be walking with a slight limp.

_She looks really tired…from all the dancing maybe._

"Ready to go then," asked their father briskly.

"Yes father," Victoria responded quietly.

"Well come on then," said their mother.

"Victoria, are you alright?" asked Olivia concerned.

"I'm fine. Just a bit tired and sore…from the dancing you know."

"Did Aldrich wear your feet out?" she asked.

Victoria tensed painfully at the sound of his name and looked away from Olivia, fearing her eyes would give her away. Back upstairs in the study, she had forced herself to gather all the courage she could muster and walk out of the room as if nothing had happened, all for her sister. She did not know whether or not to believe Aldrich's threat, but she would be damned if she gambled with her family's lives, with Olivia's life. She would do it…for her. She smiled weakly.

"I guess you could say that."

Olivia stared at her sister. Something was very wrong. She could feel it.

Once the carriage pulled in front of the manor, Victoria immediately exited, wished her parents and Olivia a good night and went straight up to her room without so much as a look back. Olivia repeatedly knocked on her door but all Victoria said was that she was extremely fatigued and wished to be left alone…for now anyway. Puzzled, Olivia went to sleep that night deeply worried about her sister. She knew Victoria wasn't telling her everything and she simply could not understand why. They had always confided _everything_ in each other and why Victoria would all of a sudden shy away from her scared her, especially when she _knew_ something was wrong. They both fell asleep uneasy that night, hoping that the pristine morning would bring them something that could soothe away their fears.


	6. Chapter 7

**Note: Hey everyone! New chapter obviously. Hopefully you like it. Some real good stuff in here along the lines of what you've all been so patiently waiting for. Thanks for that! Reviews, questions, comments, concerns, constructive criticisms, etc. are all welcome. Feel free to send me messages concerning the story, characters, etc. I'm always happy to answer any of those. Don't have much else to say…Enjoy!**

~Chapter 7~

Olivia awoke violently, coughing and choking on the thick black smoke that filled her room. The temperature seemed to be increasing every second and the very air seemed to begin to scorch her skin. She stumbled out of her bed falling to her knees blinking furiously as the smoke burned her eyes. Managing to pull herself up, Olivia shook her head and immediately left all feelings of tiredness behind as she gazed wide eyed at the black stream of gas that poisonously seeped through the crack below her door.

_Victoria! _Her mind screamed.

Heart racing, she sprinted towards the door and wrenched it open. Entire clouds of black smoke rushed inside her room the second the door was ajar. She blindly fanned her way through it and began running down the hall towards Victoria's room screaming for her sister. But before the last syllable was out of her mouth, a pair of hands grabbed her own and yanked her forward.

"Victoria!" Olivia yelled, "Are you oh—"

"Nevermind that Olivia, we've got to get out of here!"

The words were no sooner out of her mouth when the wall portraits that lined the stairway down to the lower levels collapsed in a flaming heap and exploded into a wall of fire.

"Into the study!" screamed Olivia.

They ran, still holding each other, across the hall and into the study as another wall portrait fell where they had been standing igniting the hall rug. They slammed the oak door behind them which immediately began to feel hot beneath their hands.

"This door is going go up in flames and burn this whole room down in seconds! Doesn't father usually keep a pitcher of water in here?" yelled Victoria.

"Yes! It's over by the bookcase at the far end of the room. If we drench the door it'll buy us enough time to escape through the window. I'll go get—"

"No. Just watch the door. I'll go get it!"

Victoria sprinted towards the far end of the room. Olivia looked up at the ceiling then back at her sister, heart dropping. One of the thick central beams was glowing red hot and flaming in some places. Bits of wood were falling to the ground. The beam was crumbling before her very eyes!

"Victoria! No—" screamed Olivia but her voice became lost in a deep and thunderous cracking noise. Victoria was already halfway back across the room when the beam gave a sudden jolt and went crashing towards the floor directly above her. Large chunks of burning wood smashed into the floor sending painful sparks in every direction. Olivia lunged forward with all her strength towards Victoria who, still running, looked up for a split second right before a large boulder-sized hunk of wood collided with the side of her head, sending her to the ground. The rest of the flaming yet intact beam fell between Olivia and her unconscious sister dividing the study in half.

"VICTORIA!" Olivia screamed.

She looked around desperately for something, anything she could use to hack a pathway through the wall of fire to her sister. But there was nothing. The side she became stranded on was heart wrenchingly the empty side only filled with useless bookshelves. Out of desperation, she sprinted towards the shelves, grabbed two books and sprinted back to the barrier. Using the books to momentarily protect her hands she began trying to push the white hot beam aside. The dry pages ignited immediately and the only thing that kept her bare hands from touching the fire were the leather bound covers. Even then her hands protested painfully as they began to heat up and blister. The beam didn't budge and more blisters painfully bubbled to the surface of her palms. She cried out in frustrated anguish as her sister lay on the other side, helpless, at the mercy of the growing inferno.

Outside, James and his father along with the other farm hands who had noticed the pillar of smoke from their nearby houses desperately tried to abate the flames but found that their buckets of water were near useless compared to the blowtorch that engulfed the manor.

"Get them out! Get the girls out, I say!" yelled his father.

"No Thomas! The manor will collapse any second!" screamed Mary Alice.

"Father the girls are still in there! We cannot let them perish!" yelled James and without a second thought sprinted through double doors desperately yelling for Olivia.

He did not care whether or not he went in alone or whether he would make it out alive, as long as Olivia did. That's all that mattered. He ran through the dining hall and into the flame filled kitchen and up the side stairs to the third floor. He was met with a wall of fire that billowed from a heap of canvas portraits. Eyes darting from the flames to the hallway behind, he sprinted back down the stairs and grabbed the nearest pitcher of water and dumped it over his head. He ran back up the stairs and without so much as stutter step leapt through the flaming screen. He stumbled slightly as his feet reunited with the floor.

"OLIVIA!" he yelled. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

James could barely hear anything above the sounds of shattering glass, crumbling beams, and the howling of the flames. There was fire everywhere! Managing to kick aside the door to Olivia's room, his eyes darted to every corner and crevice that the girls could possibly hide. But there was not a soul in sight.

"OLIVIA! VICTORIA!"

Reentering the hallway, James looked around desperately for any sign of the girls. He immediately noticed that every door in the hallway was open except for one.

_The study!_

Covering his head with his arms, he swiftly made his way to the flaming oak door. Falling embers painfully nicked and burned parts of his exposed skin. He finally reached the blazing door and began kicking it with all his might while simultaneously yelling for Olivia.

Back inside the room, Olivia resorted to the most desperate solution she could think of, it was her only solution to save her sister's life. She backed up to the farthest point from the flames that barred her and with a deep breath, sprinted forward. Her world became surreal as she ran toward the wall of flames. Everything went quiet, she could not hear the billowing inferno that awaited in front of her, she could not hear the crumbling of more wooden beams above her, she could not hear James screaming her name as he pounded on the door beside her. Every one of her senses was focused on Victoria, on her limp body, and getting her to safety. Halfway to the fire, a distant sound of shattering glass came from her left, snapping her out of her silent focus. This, however, did not slow or halt her sprint. Half a second later, an overwhelming force knocked her to the side away from the quickly approaching wall of fire. She landed hard and slid into the wall. Fluttering her eyes open, Olivia looked up and found herself facing what had knocked her into the side of the wall or rather tackled. Her eyes widened in fear. Standing in front of her was an animal, a beast that stood larger and more muscular than any man she had ever seen. Yet this thing wasn't human, it had a long snout and was completely covered in golden brown fur with luminescent golden eyes with a black slit pupil that glistened even in the light of the inferno behind it. The body looked like it belonged to a man but was unmistakably larger…and stronger, but the head, the head was that of a huge wolf's. His hands or rather _its_ hands were huge and furry also but were armed with two inch claws, claws that could easily kill a human with one swipe. It looked like something from one of Olivia's nightmares and it stood staring at her, watching her look at it in terror. Olivia opened her mouth and shrieked out the most terrified scream that would ever leave her lips. Everything around her went black.

James could hear screaming and ferociously kicked at the door until a small portion finally gave way and crumbled beneath his foot. Desperately punching around the edges of the hole, he froze at the sight that met his eyes. A monstrous creature bent over his precious Olivia, picking her up like a bride, an unconscious bride.

"NO!" yelled James, "GET AWAY FROM HER!"

The thing stood up, holding Olivia, and looked directly at him growling softly. James desperately pleaded for it to let her go but it simply turned its back on him and leapt through the shattered window.

"OLIVIA!"

The manor gave a final rumbling moan and beam upon beam came crashing down. The floors buckled collapsing on the rooms below them, thunderous snapping and cracking sounds filled the night air as manor crumbled into a burning pile of rubble.

Olivia eyes fluttered but did not open as she lay there. Although she did not know where _there_ exactly was. She couldn't remember being so cold either, _did I forget to put logs in the fire before I went to sleep?...fire…the fire!_

Olivia bolted upright but soon wished she hadn't. An entire wave of nausea and vertigo crashed through every corner of her head and stomach. She fell back immediately panting. A fiery throbbing seared through her hands painfully reminding her of her wounds. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried wildly to remember the fire and what had happened but only found blurred visions of fear and despair. Reopening her eyes, she was surprised to find herself staring up at the full moon.

_How did I get outside?_

Olivia sat up, slower this time and looked around her. She lay in a small grass filled meadow. Nothing but broad pine trees and rocks surrounded its edges. She was sitting on a thick mattress of moss that had stained her nightdress green in some places. Crickets chirped lightly filling the night with their own soft melody. The smell of damp earth filled her nostrils as she inhaled each breath of frigid air.

_Where am I? And were's Vi—"_

Olivia froze as the painful memories flooded back into her mind. The thick black smoke that filled her room, the fire that consumed the entire hallway, the crumbling beam crashing to the floor, Victoria unconscious lying across the wall of fire from her, the shattering of glass, and…and. Olivia's eyes widened as the vision of the animal that loomed above her formulated in her mind.

_That thing! I remember that creature…staring at me. What was it? Where'd it come from…where is it now?_

"You're awake," came a voice from the trees in front of her.

"Wha—," she gasped, "Who's there?"

A lean and muscular young man walked into the small clearing wearing nothing but raggedly torn breeches. His golden brown hair shining brightly in the moonlight. Olivia's cheeks flushed slightly at his less than covered appearance. She had never seen a half naked man before much less a fully naked one. His expression was stern, brows furrowed.

"A stranger. Don't worry about who I am. Worry about where you are and how you're going to get back," he corrected.

"How did you find me? There was a fire…in my house..and..and…something came and took me away…but" her eyes watered, "but my sister…where is she?"

Although Olivia already knew the answer. The young man sighed and ran a hand through his tusseled hair.

"I don't…think…she made it," he muttered softly, "Any of them."

That was all it took for the waterworks to turn on for Olivia. She knew that his answer would be coming eventually, she just wasn't ready for the sad truth. She couldn't save her, couldn't save her family, couldn't stop the fire. Victoria was gone forever and she was left alone in the world with half a heart, half a soul that would live on aimlessly searching for the counterpart it would never find. Olivia let out a weak sob, tears streaming down her face like two skinny rivers, rivers she wasn't sure would ever dry up. Her heart ached, like someone had reached inside her body and ripped out a part of it, leaving the broken beating half. She sat there for God knows how long and wept, wept for her lost family.

"I couldn't save her," she finally let out in a small voice, "I tried but I couldn't…she was counting on me and I failed. I should've died in the fire. I should've died with her so she wouldn't have to face that alone. She must've been so scared and I abandoned her when she needed me the most."

More salty tears flooded down her face. She didn't even bother to look up at the strange young man as she spoke, forgetting his presence altogether. All she could think about was the loss she had just incurred. The most unbearable loss she could ever imagine. Victoria's face continued to flash across her mind, in the orchards smiling, at the tea partying skulking, in their bedrooms laughing. And her parents, her beloved mother and noble father…all gone.

"Please…," she whimpered, "Who are you?"

The man's face softened the tiniest bit but a second later his head snapped towards the east. His eyes narrowed as though he was searching the darkness for something that Olivia could not see or hear.

"What is it?" she sniffed in between sobs.

"Stay here," he commanded and marched briskly into the dense forest surrounding the small meadow.

Olivia, still tear stricken, stared at the patch of trees he disappeared into for a few minutes. Then she heard it. An audible voice…no wait…._voices _beyond the trees. She couldn't place how many there were but she was sure they counted at least three. Olivia trembled and hugged her knees against her chest. She could barely make out bits and pieces of the conversation or rather what sounded more like an argument. They seemed to be getting louder and angrier.

"…You can't let her live!"

"—knows too much."

"How do you know? She hasn't spoken of me since she awoke."

"—doesn't mean she doesn't remember."

"What would you have me do?"

"Snap her neck and be done with it!"

"No one is supposed to know we exist."

"If she lives with that knowledge, our pack will never be safe again in this area. We'll have to migrate again."

"She's just lost her entire family, we can't just kill her. We're not animals!"

"No, but we are predators."

"—Caleb is already on his way with the rest of the pack."

"He'll either decide to kill her or turn her and frankly I doubt he'll be in a very generous mood when he gets here."

Olivia's staggered gasps for air stopped.

_Kill me! What did I do?...No one knows they exist? Their pack will never be safe?...What does he mean I haven't spoken of him since I woke up? I don't even know him. Never seen him before in my life. How does he know that none of my family made it out? He wasn't there during the fire…only the…the_

Realization dawned on her like a lightning strike.

_He can't be!_

Olivia then realized that the arguing had stopped. All was silent around her. Her eyes darted across the meadow and back, she thought she saw the trees jostle once or twice but wasn't sure. Then from the same patch of trees, the mysterious stranger reappeared only this time he wasn't alone. Three others walked behind him, and they too were wearing shredded breeches. She searched each of their faces before looking back up at him.

"What do you want?" Olivia stammered.

He ignored her question.

"Do you know what I am?" he asked, eyes intense and focused.

A couple of the three males shuffled slightly behind him. _They_ apparently did not like how this conversation was starting.

Olivia remained silent for a moment. She was never a very good liar and the way this man's eyes seemed to burn right through her own reading the answer in her head before she even opened her lips made her think twice. She had clearly heard them, she would die knowing their unbelievable secret. Though she had only heard of such creatures in the tall tales of the town folk. Never, for a second, did she ever believe that such manwolves existed or rather _werewolves_ as the townsfolk called them. But it didn't matter, she was going to die, embracing it even, soon she would reunite with her sister and family in whatever life came after this one. Everything would be over soon.

The young man nodded taking her silence as a yes.

"Caleb's here," interrupted the young man on his right.

Olivia looked up and saw numerous pairs of glinting eyes buried deep in the trees looking back at her. They steadily grew in size until what they belonged to stepped into the meadow. It was the same type of creature that rescued her from the fire, only this one's coat shown an almost black color and was much huskier than her rescuer. Seeing the horrifying beast a second time did not make it any easier for Olivia to believe her eyes. More of them came through the trees but only the one leading them seemed to be directly approaching her. The others including her rescuer moved to the side immediately, heads tilted in a bow, as they made a clear pathway from _it_ to her. Cringing slightly, Olivia watched as the alpha of the pack closed the space between them. She was going to die, she knew it. They were in the middle of God knows where and she would never be able to save herself against these godly creatures. If that was the case then she would face her death willingly and unafraid despite how much she was trembling. Against the protests of her badly burned hands, she pushed herself up from the ground slowly, her fearful eyes never wavering from the alpha's gaze. Olivia stood, full height and head up, in her torn and stained night dress. The beast took a couple sniffs and gazed at her intently. He made a throaty noise before throwing his head back and howling at the moon. Olivia stood transfixed as all of his jet black fur shedded off his massive frame revealing olive colored skin as his body crunched and shrunk back into a more acceptable yet still husky human size. He too wore tattered breeches that hung in shreds in some areas.

"Why did you bring her here?" he said gruffly.

Olivia was surprised that he did not address her first. Following the alpha's gaze, she slowly turned her head to look at her rescuer.

"I saved her from a fire, Caleb," he answered, "She'd lost her whole family and I—"

"And you took the laws of nature into your own hands. By saving this girl's life, you've exposed yourself as well as the rest of us and endangered the very safety of this pack."

Her rescuer fell silent, his mouth still slightly open from the interruption.

"Remember your place Connor. You do not have the rank nor the authority to be making such decisions and the next time you do, will be a direct insult and challenge to me. Do I make myself clear?"

Connor looked down and nodded.

"Now," Caleb said returning his penetrating gaze back to Olivia, "Don't take this decision personally young lady but since you now know about our kind, our only option is to kill you."

Olivia had been waiting for this and her legs wobbled slightly under her weight. Forcing them to remain straight and steady as best as possible, she opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a rather old looking female behind him.

"Caleb, before you make your decision please consider how she might help us rather than hinder us," she suggested gently.

Caleb tilted his head back slightly considering her words. Noticing his thoughtful expression, the older female continued.

"The survival of our pack is dependent upon its females. We are limited in that necessity. Perhaps this young lady can help us resolve that major nuisance. She doesn't look a day over eighteen," she finished.

Olivia blinked stunned.

_Use me for breeding purposes! I think not! I'd rather choose death._

Her brows creased in defiance. The alpha noticing her obvious resentment glanced back to her, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Without looking back at the old female, he nodded his approval of her idea.

"We don't need any more females," said a fair skinned woman behind Caleb stiffly, "I am more than capable of continuing the line without any help," she finished glowering at Olivia.

"You have no say in the matter, Anya," he dismissed.

She immediately fell silent, still glaring.

"Well, there you have it, girl. Embrace death or join us?"

Olivia took a deep breath, preparing to answer. It was a lot easier mustering up the courage to talk to this _man_ than it did to the animal buried within him.

"What do you mean join you? I…I know your secret. If you let me live, I might tell others about your kind… You'll be hunted to extinction. Would you be willingly risk that?" Olivia asked, voice quavering slightly.

The pack members around him let out chuckles and hushed laughs.

_What's so funny?_ Thought Olivia annoyed.

Caleb's smooth mouth crept up in a small smile.

"What I meant young lady is embrace death or join us _as_ one of us," he clarified.

Olivia's eyes widened.

"Become one of you?" she whispered.

_Become a monster?_

"Yes."

Olivia didn't know what to say. Which was worse losing your soul to death or to a monster? Voluntarily sacrifice your life or your humanity?

"But what would happen if—"

"I will not go into detail of how our kind lives," Caleb interrupted, "you will find out based on your choice…and you had better make it soon. My patience is waning."

"Caleb? May I speak with her?" appealed Connor.

Olivia could see him mulling over his request finally snapping a curt nod. Connor approached slowly making his way around Caleb and up to her.

"Look," he whispered gruffly, "I can't even begin to imagine how you must be feeling right now but…" his eyes looked from side to side, "but you need to think about your answer."

All Olivia could do was stare at him.

"Would your sister want you to thoughtlessly throw your life away? Would you want her to do the same had your places been switched?"

Tears were streaming down her face again, reawakening the pain of her loss.

"It's not so bad being one of us. Kinda uplifting in its own way. A few members of this pack were human once too and they get along just fine…it's either this or death. Don't throw your life away."

With that he turned and walked back to the half circle that encompassed the pack members leaving Olivia and Caleb at the center.

"What is your choice?" he thundered.

Olivia blinked a few times desperately fighting the war of thoughts that had erupted inside her mind all at once.

_I don't want to do this._

_But you'd rather throw your life away just to be with Victoria and your family again?_

_Yes!_

_That's what you want?_

_Yes!_

_But is that what Victoria would want?_

…

_You would dishonor her and her sacrifice for you so you can choose the easy way out? You would shame her for being so weak minded?_

…_No._

"Your choice?" growled Caleb.

Olivia lifted her head to gaze up at him. He towered over her, boasting at least a head taller than she was. His strong build as a human was significantly magnified as a wolf and it became very clear to her why he was the alpha. His sheer power and unnerving presence demanded respect and loyalty. Loyalty that she would have to surrender to him…among other things. But she would live. Live the life her sister could not…For her.

"I'll join the pack."


	7. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone! Sorry this last chapter took a lot longer than expected. Been working and doing a lot of time consuming stuff so I had to put this story on the backburner for a little while. Well, as always, hopefully you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Reviews are always welcomed and much appreciated. I've only got one so far! (Thank you Rebakah!) Will update as soon as I can. ****Thanks for reading!**

Chapter 8

The morning after the horrific fire dawned a bloody orange sea of sorrow and astoundment. The small company of local firemen was dumbfounded as to its cause and origin. The collapse of the once ancient manor buried with it the secrets of its own destruction along with the lives of the family that once lived within its walls. Friends as well as farmhands worked tirelessly to separate and dig through the rubble to find some remains of the girls and their parents along with the brave men that ran into the inferno to save them. Mary Alice wept and thanked God when her son, James, was pulled out of the debris suffering from numerous broken bones and fire burns that covered most of his arms. He was alive but barely. He was immediately rushed to the doctor's house for treatment. The mountain of rubble was colossal, rising well above a few of the older saplings surrounding the area. All day was spent digging for survivors or, as most silently believed, searching for their remains. By the end of the day and well into the night, the laboring men had only managed to sift through the topmost peaks of the mountain of heavy debris. They all went home extremely tired from the backbreaking work but would admirably rise at dawn to continue the search and cleanup of the Beckett's collapsed manor.

The receding moon luminously glowed as a solitary figure stalked through the dark forest. He marched stealthily, deliberately as though he was on an already labeled path to his destination. Stepping between two wide saplings, the crumbly remains of a manor reared into view as he entered the large clearing that was apparently the backyard of the once standing house. The man tilted up his head and deeply inhaled the crisp night air. He continued forward towards the mountain of rubble and surveyed the mess with rich, burgundy colored eyes. He had reached his destination, the endpoint of his hunt. Using both hands, he grasped onto the nearest boulder and threw it to the side with one smooth motion. He grabbed another large boulder that should have easily weighed half a ton and tossed it aside without so much as a grunt. The strange man continued boulder after boulder removing thousands of pounds of debris from the colossal pile. Soon after the man stopped, finally finding what had brought him here in the first place. He inhaled deeply again confirming the discovery. More urgently, he swiped at two more large boulders and stood up gazing at his prize.

At his feet lay a bleeding maiden, her face slashed with deep cuts and her arms and legs rested and pointed in awkward directions. Her chest lifted and fell weakly in a slow, stuttering rhythm, she did not have long to live.

_She's more dead than alive, _thought the strange man.

At that moment, her eyelids feebly fluttered, barely opening enough to reveal her bloodshot eye whites and green irises.

"Please…" she croaked weakly, "Help…me."

The man gazed down at her for a moment cocking his head to the side slightly, his face blank. Then scooped her up in a blur and headed back into the forest with his mangled dinner.

A while later, Victoria felt herself, from the few nerves that weren't screaming in pain, being set down on a sand covered cave floor. She was freezing, her body trembled violently from both the blood loss and countless broken bones she suffered from. Where had this strange man with the burgundy eyes taken her? How long did she have to live? And where…where was her beloved sister? The man squatted beside her head, taking in her injuries from head to foot. With one touch, he gently stroked her cut cheek and to Victoria's horror sniffed and licked the blood right off his finger.

"Who…," she winced in pain, "are you?"

The stranger ignored her question, gazing intently at her. His strong jaw line clenched and unclenched in the dim moonlight.

"What…do you want?" she croaked.

The stranger smiled revealing dazzling, razor sharp canines. Unable to gasp, Victoria made a gurgling noise as she quickly sucked the cold night air into her bruised lungs.

"That _would_ be the question of the night wouldn't it?" he breathed in a low voice.

Victoria raked her mind trying to make sense of this strange man: his white fangs, his burgundy eyes, his profound taste for blood. She shook her head feebly, creatures like him didn't exist, only in tall tales, only in nightmares.

_This must be a dream, _she thought desperately, _a horrible dream. _

She winced again as a sharp pain throbbed in her legs. Dreams didn't have pain this vivid. Not likely she would be so lucky. Her body trembled, the frigid night air burned her lungs every time she inhaled.

"Please…" she begged, "my sister is still in the rubble…where you found me…please go and dig her out…take her to a doctor…save her, I beg you…you may do what you wish with me but please save her."

The stranger raised one eyebrow and stared at her curiously. Her shredded nightgown lay matted and stained in some places. She smelled strongly of smoke and blood and the staggering beats of her heart seemed to be getting weaker. He would have to feed soon.

"I did not hear any other beating hearts except for yours in the rubble. There are no more survivors," he reported calmly.

Victoria remained quiet as she tried to absorb his words. Her sister, her family was dead. She turned her head so the stranger could not see her tears. How could fate be so cruel to her? She lost everything including her innocence all in one awful day. How could any god let this happen to someone?

"Why? Don't you wish to live?" the stranger asked coolly, "Judging by your age you should have a little old husband somewhere in that rubble…"

He paused for a moment, smirking to himself.

"I had a pretty little wife once too," he said, reaching out and gently touching a lock of Victoria's chocolate hair, "…a long time ago."

Victoria tried to jerk away but the agonizing protests of her ripped muscles and broken bones left her motionless. She squeezed her eyes shut as the painful flood of memories of Aldrich and the masque ball earlier that night flashed through her mind. The pain of the recollections was quickly overpowered by her anger.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped weakly.

The stranger tilted his head slightly but did not remove his hand.

"A little feisty are we?" he sneered, "That's perfectly fine with me. I prefer my meals have a little fight in them anyway."

Victoria's breathing accelerated. Her dying heart felt like it would burst right out of her heaving chest.

"I'm not afraid to die," she challenged.

Victoria knew her minutes were numbered but that did not matter to her. She would be reunited with her sister and this _thing_ would take her to the final step. Afraid or not, she would not cower before this monster, she would not submit to him like she had been forced to with Aldrich. If she had to die, then she would embrace it, encourage it even. All she knew was that there was no life without Olivia and she would be damned if she let her sister face death alone. It would not be long.

"You're not human…are you?" she asked quietly.

The stranger's mocking expression quickly darkened. His deeply colored eyes blazed in the moonlight and his handsome features seemed to glow in spite of the darkness that cloaked the cave. He placed both of his hands flat on the ground slightly above her shoulders and leaned over her. He appeared to be examining a cut on her lower lip and leaned in closer to her mouth. Victoria's breathing quickened. She was going to die now. But despite all that had happened that day, she was ready for it. The stranger leaned in even closer, his lips only inches from her own.

"Not even close," he smoldered before claiming her mouth.

Victoria winced as the cut on her lip stung from the newly added pressure. The stranger opened his mouth and began maneuvering his lips, kissing and sucking at her bleeding wound. She heard his soft moan as his tongue licked at the cut that continued to gently ooze warm blood. Dying like this was _not_ what Victoria had in mind. Her mind raced as this complete stranger took over and explored her mouth while she lay incapacitated on the cave floor. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists trying to ignore the unwanted sensations on her lips by digging her fingernails painfully into her palms. Red hot anger bubbled inside Victoria. She would _not_ endure this again, not in the same night. With as much strength as she could muster, she threw herself forward and bit hard on the stranger's lower lip. He immediately jerked back in shock. Victoria fell back onto the ground panting. The stranger's expression melted from surprise to malicious pleasure. His mouth glistened with crimson from the newly formed cut that immediately disappeared with one lick of his tongue. His burgundy eyes glowed brightly in the moonlight.

"Aw, you should've told me you like to play rough. I like it that way too," he smirked, "but I wouldn't encourage my imagination if I were you. It can get nasty really quick."

Victoria glared at him.

"It wouldn't be my first time enduring something like that!" she snapped.

The stranger cocked one eyebrow curiously. Victoria clenched her fists angrily. All this waiting, all his arrogant patience was driving her insane. What was taking him so long?

"Are you done yet?" she demanded, wincing as a sharp pain pierced her jaw and neck muscles.

"With what, darling?"

"Playing with me? Just kill me and get it over with already," she scorned panting.

"Now why would I do that?" the stranger teased.

His eyes quickly narrowed and his expression suddenly became suspicious.

"Why are you so eager to die anyway?"

"Why prolong the inevitable?" Victoria countered.

"That's not it though… I know you've lost your family but how could that possibly translate into losing your will to live?" he pondered, "Is it your sister? Is that why you begged me to go and retrieve her…because you thought that she might've also survived?"

Victoria did not want to talk about this, especially not with the likes of this murderer. She turned her head away as much as was painfully endurable so that she wouldn't have to look at him. The stranger reached across her cheek and pointed it back to face him.

"You do know that such weak bonds are what kill humans don't you?" he asked pointedly.

Victoria lay there on the cave floor, freezing and in pain. She did not care if he was right or not.

"What you don't realize is that those weak bonds are made of—"

"—Love," he interrupted mockingly.

Victoria glared at him silently.

"Did you ever think that if this love, as you call it, is so strong, then why are all you've ever cared for buried in a pile of ash and broken stone?"

"Love doesn't make you immortal," Victoria glowered, "It makes life worth living."

"No but it sure does hinder a person's mental capacities. I mean you're not even afraid to die. This love has made you blind even to a human's most basic instinct of survival. What kind of strength is that? Most would call that a weakness."

Victoria remained silent in the darkness of the cave. She did not want to argue the power of love with this complete stranger since he probably didn't even know the true meaning of the word. What did it matter? Her argument seemed rather weak at this point anyway after what Aldrich did to her and what the fire did to her family. Victoria tried to ignore the poisonous seeds of doubt that slowly grew in the darkness of her broken heart. She would not, she could not believe them. Not now or ever.

"Fine it's a weakness but one that I'm willing to die for."

The stranger gazed at her intently, still as a statue. He didn't so much as breathe or even blink. He simply stared at Victoria as though he was trying to understand how her _human_ mind worked.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged.

Victoria squeezed her eyes shut as her final sight reverberated throughout her mind, his shadowy silhouette leaning over her once more. She felt a sharp pain on her neck and a deep pressure at her jugular. Soon, other memories of her life flashed within her mind: Olivia's glowing features as she grew more and more in love with James, her mother's graceful movements and expressions, her father's sharp eyes and mind, the swaying pine trees in the woods, the whispering of the wind through the orchards, Aldrich's impossibly handsome face and hungry eyes, his painful grip on her wrist, the searing agony between her thighs, the soreness of her aching body, and the relentless heat of the merciless inferno that took her sister. Victoria gritted her teeth as her flashes grew dimmer and her fury burned stronger. As the last of her strength left her, she willingly let herself fall into the darkness that had been tenaciously tugging at the corners of her consciousness, allowing the burning fury to light the way.


	8. Chapter 9

**So this is, by far, the longest chapter I've written so far. I'm really sorry for the long wait that a few of the more dedicated readers had to endure. My sound apologies but I promise that the painful wait was not in vain. This is personally one of my favorite chapters and probably the most exciting to date. I just hope that everyone who reads this will feel closer to the characters and understand what they're going through. So again sorry for the wait and I hope that you all enjoy this! Last thing, I want to give my personal thanks to everyone who has submitted a review so far: rebakah, moosehugger (such a cute name!), justmolly, and last but certainly not least angeljks. Thanks everyone! Your feedback keeps me motivated! Enjoy! **

~Chapter 9~

The forest that once shown with the flaming colors of fall was now growing more and more skeletal by the week. Dry leaves gently floated down to the ground where they blanketed the frigid topsoil in a sea of gold and vermillion. The dense woods itself seemed to have quieted down. Many of the birds had migrated away for the winter and the few that stayed behind did not sing for the coming season's arrival. The animals' behavior seemed to have changed as well. The usually frolicking deer and their young no longer danced together in the meadow but rather scoured the forest looking for the sparse vegetation that could sustain them through the winter. The well prepared bears had already slumbered into hibernation leaving the weaker and less fortunate ones to continue their desperate search for food.

The nights were brutally cold and even after almost a month of living with the pack. Olivia was still having great difficulty adjusting to the outdoors. Not that she ever minded them really, quite the contrary but actually _living_ outside was another story. Sleeping at night would have probably been a lot easier had she allowed any of the wolves to snooze _near_ her but voluntarily letting such horrifying monsters be so close in such a vulnerable state was unfathomable. She wouldn't be able to sleep anyway out of sheer terror. So she suffered, night after night in the farthest crevice of the cavern she could find, away from all of them, and freezing for it. Her simple nightgown was in ruins and did little to keep her warm. Long tears ran down the front almost indecently close to her lower midsection and the cotton strongly smelled of sweat and blood. Although Olivia had determinedly washed and scrubbed what was left of her gown in the nearby streams, she still had to get over the embarrassment of doing it naked while being monitored by a guard wolf. She did her best to try and conceal herself within the already sparsely leafed branches but knew that any nearby creature would be able to get a good peak at her. Olivia reached the point where she had to visit the streams a few times a day for a period of time due to her own natural cycle. Bathing even proved to be more difficult as the already freezing temperatures of the water continued to drop. What proved to be far worse for Olivia was having to dry off and endure having wet hair for hours on end in order to be remotely clean. She shivered to herself late one evening, arms hugging her knees close to her for warmth. Her hair fell damply down her back leaving a distorted wet shape on her shredded gown and her stomach grumbled softly. She had not eaten a decent meal since the evening of the masque. The pack had brought her deer and rabbits to eat but Olivia couldn't bear to eat them raw no matter how many times they assured her it would do her no harm. Caleb refused to allow the younger wolves to build a fire for her explaining that it would not help her transition. So she scraped by picking wild berries and fruits. Anticipation buzzed in the air and the pack's fur seemed to stand on end this evening. Tonight was the full moon. Exactly one month had passed since that fateful day in the meadow where Olivia had sworn an oath of secrecy and bound herself to her new pack. After her decision to join, the other pack members had formed a complete circle around her and Caleb. Olivia grimaced as the memories flooded back into her mind.

The alpha, _her_ alpha had blinked once, his eyes had changed from their murky brown to golden yellow with a black slit pupil. His body crunched and snapped before her very eyes back into the animal of her nightmares. She instinctively took a step back putting as much distance as possible between Caleb and herself. When the transformation was complete, he focused his lamp-like gaze onto her. Suddenly he threw his maned head back and let out bloodcurdling howl. The rest of the pack, as commanded, transformed as well, leaving Olivia frozen with fear in the center of their circle. She felt helpless in their midst, like a wounded animal that stood no chance of defending itself. They were all horrifying and their fixated, glowing eyes did little to ease the uncomfortable nausea that rose in Olivia's throat. Caleb, standing upright, began to approach her, his penetrating gaze was unfaltering. Olivia's heart was pounding, she did not know what to expect. Once he was a few feet in front of her, he raised a clawed hand, reaching for Olivia's left arm. Instinctively, Olivia snatched her hand back protectively. A soft growl escaped Caleb's muzzle and he deliberately reached for her arm again. Out of sheer terror, Olivia smacked away his claw but soon regretted her actions. Caleb let out a loud snarl and tackled her to the ground, his teeth bared at her jugular. The force of the blow left Olivia disoriented and trembling. Caleb's razor sharp canines were inches from her throat and his meaning was clear, _obey me or die! _Olivia didn't dare look him in the eyes, she didn't want to challenge him in any way. Head turned towards the mossy earth, she remained still, awaiting Caleb's reaction. Sensing her submission, the alpha took hold of her arm and turned it over, revealing the soft under skin. He leaned in his muzzle near the elbow joint. Olivia's heart quickened and her stomach gave a sickening lurch as Caleb pulled his mouth back into a snarl near her tender flesh. Every cell in her body screamed for her to defend herself, to run away faster than her legs had ever moved, to scream and thrash like a cornered animal but Olivia remained ever still.

_For Victoria, _she desperately tried to convince herself.

Her breathing was rapid and shallow now, bile rose up and down her throat threatening to expel itself out. With one short growl, Caleb snapped and clamped his jaws deep into Olivia's forearm. Unable to endure the pain, she squeezed her eyes shut, shrieking in agony.

Olivia shivered again, shaking away the dark memories of that night. She hugged her knees closer to her chest and buried her head in her legs trying to ignore the pain that still lingered in her healing left arm. For the past month, she had grown more and more tolerant of the pain that raked her body, not because Caleb had bitten her that night, injecting werewolf venom into her veins, but because after enduring it for so long, she had learned how to tune some of it out. But that did little to ease the rest of her discomfort. Her body was throbbing as though it had been forcefully shoved in a space too small. Every so often a tremor would ripple through it, magnifying the dull ache in her joints. This had been going on for the past few days, a side effect of the rising moon Connor had explained. Olivia knew that tonight she would change into one of them. She would fully assimilate into their pack and take her place as one of the two remaining mateable females. The thought deeply saddened her. For nearly the past year, she had dreamed that she would be James' bride and consummate her love with him on their wedding night but that blissful dream had died weeks ago. The second Connor had saved her from the fire and exposed his world to her, she had lost all hopes of ever becoming James' wife. For the past month, Olivia had cried herself to sleep unable to accept the fact that she would never be able to see James again…ever. When she thought that her heart could not possibly be more broken or ripped apart than it already was, the memories of all that she had lost would painfully resurface in her mind and reopen the terrible wound that time would never heal. A silent tear streamed down her dirty cheek leaving a clean canal running down the length of her face. Olivia gasped as another violent tremor rippled through her spine. They were occurring more frequently and grew more violent with every passing hour. It would not be long now.

"How are you feeling?" Connor asked, brows furrowed.

Olivia jumped slightly. She had not seen him approach.

"Like the inside of my body has been mangled and bruised," she mumbled.

Connor's frown relaxed.

"Good," he smiled.

Olivia peered up at him, a look of incredulousness plastered on her face. Connor's smile faltered.

"Well, I mean good as in the transformation is progressing as it should. Your body has submitted to the venom. Now it's making everything stronger…and more durable," he finished.

"Then why do I feel so weak and feeble," Olivia grumbled.

"Well, the venom is strengthening every part of your body. Imagine if you lifted a really heavy object over and over. By the next sunrise, your entire body would be aching from the effort. Well the venom works the same way…only you didn't have to lift the heavy object…but it still is forcing your muscles, bones, and joints to work as though they had. It forces your body to become stronger that way…on a much larger scale of course," he explained.

"Well, I'm a girl. We usually don't get that strong during our lifetimes. What if my body can't handle the strengthening?"

"Then the final transformation will kill you," frowned Connor.

Olivia's eyes widened.

"That's the main purpose of the venom," he explained," to strengthen your body to withstand your first transformation. If you're not strong enough then the sheer power of the change will break every bone and tear every muscle. Werewolves are remarkably strong but they get their strength from the venom that inflicted their bodies so that they could survive their first change. The strength continues to stay with us long after our first full moon."

Olivia tried to swallow the rather large lump that formed in her throat but it wouldn't budge.

"Have…a lot of people died during their first transformation?" she asked weakly.

Connor sighed.

"Most of them live but for some reason females seem to have a tougher time enduring the first change. Not because they're not mentally strong enough but because their bodies are caught completely off guard during the strengthening and reject the venom more resiliently than men do…So when their first transformation comes around, their bodies aren't strong enough to take it. Which is why we have so few females," Connor finished.

_Great, _thought Olivia, _I make my choice to join the pack and the wolves aren't even sure that I'll live through my first transformation. _

"Don't worry though," added Connor interrupting her thoughts, "I know you'll make it through ok."

"How do you know?" muttered Olivia, not wanting to get too hopeful.

"Well, I definitely think you're strong enough to take it. I mean, if you have the will power to smack away the claw of our alpha then I'm pretty sure enduring your first transformation will be easier than you think," he finished suppressing a grin.

"Almost ready dear?" asked Eleanor, the older female.

Olivia managed a weak smile and nodded.

"Nora?" asked Connor, "Is Caleb going to initiate the howling soon?"

"Very soon Connor. Be patient," she urged.

Connor exhaled impatiently but remained quiet. The pack crowded inside the cavern, filling the air with their excited buzz. They numbered approximately eight or so, Olivia never did get an exact count. They were difficult to differentiate when they were in their wolf forms. The only ones she knew for sure were Connor and Caleb, for good reason. But she didn't have to worry about that now. The whole pack was in human form this evening, a ceremonial tradition, Connor had explained before every new addition. A few of the younger males around Connor's age approached, excitement evident in some of their strides.

"You excited?" grinned Peter, the youngest of the lot, playfully nudging her foot.

Olivia smiled softly. Peter was the kindest of the young males and his infectious grin was hard to resist. Though she was still deeply terrified of the animal he turned into, she couldn't help but feel close to him like you would a brother or baby blanket. Olivia had found it exceedingly difficult to live with the pack that first month, juggling between trying to keep herself from panicking each time she saw the wolves and remembering their more or less friendly human counterpart. They were a lot easier to coexist with when they were in their humane form but she figured it wouldn't matter after tonight.

"Nervous," she amended with a weak smile.

"Don't be!" he insisted.

"Yea, I mean the worst thing that can happen is she dies," Rourke voiced sarcastically.

Peter threw him a disdainful look but ignored his comment.

"She'll be alright," reiterated Peter, "Right Daven?"

The male called Daven was slightly hidden behind the distracting personalities of Peter and Sarc. He seemed to be detached from the conversation, merely standing outside as an onlooker. His strong arms were loosely crossed over his chest and he wore a calculating expression. Olivia peered from the others to look over at him. She didn't take Daven as the type to sugar coat anything even if that's what she wanted to hear. He remained quiet for a moment, gazing at Olivia as though he were sizing her up.

"It could go either way. Just remember to put enough strength to urge the change but minimal enough to not snap your own neck through the process," he advised calmly.

The dread that had been festering in Olivia's mind unwantedly bloomed, growing seeds of doubt and regret in its wake.

"Thanks for the advise," she mumbled, her eyes dropping to the cavern floor.

"I know that's not what you wanted to hear but that's the truth. If you want to live that's how it has to be done. Failure to do it right and you will die. There are no second chances at this. It's best that you're prepared to face that now," he finished, eyes stern.

The other two were quiet for a moment. Peter's head hung slightly as his eyes fell to the ground while Rourke's lips pressed into a thin line as his gaze moved away from Olivia. They all knew that Daven was right whether or not they were ready to admit to that. Before any of them could suggest a hopeful word or two, Connor was making his way back to where Olivia sat surrounded by her new comrades. He had barely enough time to reach them when Caleb began to speak.

"Gather 'round, everyone," he barked.

The pack along with Olivia made their way to him without a second thought. A few members were chattering excitedly to each other, taking quick glances over their shoulders to peer at her. The fair skinned, Anya, had her jaw tightly set and her head up. She would not be the pack's only treasured fertile female for much longer. Caleb stood in front, controlled apprehension glowing in his eyes. He beckoned for Olivia to come forward and stand in front of the crowd along with him. She obeyed hesitantly. He waited for silence before he spoke again.

"A month has passed since this girl has bound herself to our pack. Tonight the full moon will rise to test her strength and judge her worthiness of becoming one of us," he echoed, eyes moving among the pack members.

Olivia could almost feel the excitement that charged the air. The very muscles of the people standing in front of her pulsated and flexed with the itching need to obey the rising full moon. She could feel her own body tremble with the growing tension of her own need.

"We will walk to Luna's Hollow and await her transformation there," he finished.

A few within the group made throaty noises of understanding while the others merely nodded. Caleb then walked out of the cavern, leading the pack into the black forest.

The hike was relatively manageable for Olivia that is until they reached the waterfall. Jagged black rocks stemmed from the falls, protruding threateningly towards the sky. Olivia had to lock her arms around Connor's neck as he and the rest of the pack effortlessly ascended the slippery falls. Even in their human forms, they were nimble and agile up the slopes. She all but blinked in disbelief as she watched Eleanor, easily one of the oldest in the pack apart from another old male, climb up the falls without a single stumble. No man would ever dare climb up such a treacherous rock face, no matter how experienced he was. The water roared as it fell well over fifty feet into the large pool below. Olivia could feel its mist gently caress her face. The very air seemed to be saturated with the fresh water leaving its surroundings noticeably cooler. She tried not to look down but her traitorous eyes could not help but glance at the horrifying height after a while of climbing. Olivia tightened her grip around Connor's neck and buried her face in the smooth crevice between his strong shoulder blades. It was growing increasingly difficult for her to hang on. More tremors would unexpectedly rip through her body leaving her muscles barely tight enough to hold onto Connor. He took notice but did not hesitate as he continued his paced ascent up the cliff side. Olivia did not open her eyes until she felt the firmness of the ground underneath Connor's feet. She let herself slump to the ground, panting and clutching her chest. Her body was growing more wary by the minute.

"It's okay Olivia. We're almost there," Connor reassured.

"Yea, just keep going. Want me to carry you?" offered Peter.

"Yea, just so you could drop her with those skinny arms you have the nerve to call biceps," scorned Rourke, "Besides, she looks kinda sick. Is she supposed to be that pale?"

"Just keep moving guys. The pack's not going to wait," interjected Daven.

All three of them lifted their gazes from Olivia. Daven was right. The pack had continued forward without a second look back. The only one that remained behind was Caleb, an expression of hardness adorning his features.

"She carries herself the rest of the way. That's how it must be done. Go now," he ordered motioning his head towards the progressing pack.

Connor, Daven, Peter and Rourke had no choice but to obey his command. They left Olivia slumped on the ground and softly walked past Caleb to catch up with the rest of the pack. Peter made one quick glance back with a small sympathetic smile. Caleb stood as still as a statue as they continued on without him, his gaze focused on Olivia. Without needing another word, Olivia's face hardened as she pushed herself up off the ground. She began to walk weakly into the woods away from the bank of the river. Each step was a challenge, her muscles did not seem to want to obey her.

_Left foot...right foot...left...right, _she paced herself.

Olivia felt like she was in one of those dreams where your legs seemed to be moving through thick mud leaving you slow regardless of how fast you want to move. Every step proved to be harder than the last. Caleb followed silently a few paces behind her. Why he did not simply leave her behind, Olivia did not know. She was beginning to feel frustrated from all of the effort she was putting into her steps and their minimal progress but she trudged on.

After an agonizing hour, Olivia was panting and sweating, a determined expression painfully sculpted onto her face. She could see a bright clearing up ahead and something that looked like snow was falling…in only that area. The painful throbbing in every bone, muscle and joint in her body continued to reverberate mercilessly. With all the strength she could muster, she threw herself forward towards the clearing. When she was nearly there, her exhausted legs buckled and she fell to the ground. She heard Caleb stop behind her. She clenched her hands into fists and gritted her teeth forcing her legs to push her forward so she could crawl the rest of the way. Her breathing quickened and she began gasping loudly for air. She reached out and dug her fingers into the soft topsoil and dragged herself further. Olivia was only a few feet away from the clearing.

_Come on, _she thought,… _you can make it._

With one final heave, she pulled herself to the very edge of the luminescent clearing and rolled onto her back, panting heavily. The rest of the pack was waiting for her. They had all formed a large circle within the meadow. Immediately after, Caleb walked into the clearing, a small smile tugging at the corners of his hard expression. All were silent. He kneeled down next to her and spoke in a low, gentle voice.

"The transformation will happen very soon," he explained, "I will take off your clothes as they will not survive your first change."

Olivia was so exhausted that she did not have the will nor the energy to object. Very carefully, he pulled each of her arms out of the half-sleeves of her nightdress. Next, he gently lifted her torso so she was in a sitting position and ran his hand up the length of her leg, gathering every shred of her battered night gown in his hand and pulling it over her head. Olivia gasped softly as he did this. His gesture was uncomfortable, too intimate for her. Once she was completely undressed, Caleb smoothly scooped her up like a bride and began walking towards the center of the elliptical clearing. Olivia hadn't noticed exactly where she was but when she turned her head to look to where he was taking her, her eyes became immediately overwhelmed with the beauty of the clearing. In the meadow was a slightly off centered tree with pure white blossoms that still seemed to remain despite the approaching winter. And all around her, as the night breeze billowed softly, the petals fell off floating gently to the ground…like snow. Caleb then tenderly set her down on her feet near the blossom tree and retreated a few paces. It took a second for Olivia to realize that the aching had gone. Shock fluttered through her features. It was as if her body had instantly gone numb, there was no pain, no ache, no loss of control…just tranquility. She looked up at the petals that swirled airily around her. She glanced at Caleb, whose lips shadowed a hint of a smile and blinked, his eyes golden. His transformation had begun before Olivia could fully register it was happening but as she looked to the others around her for help, she realized that they too were shifting before her eyes…a pack transformation. She whirled around gazing at all of the members as their bodies snapped and crunched into the animals within them. She saw Peter's friendly face growing a muzzle, Rourke's hands spring claws, Daven's body sprout hair, Eleanor's stature rise taller, and Anya's mouth grow canines. As Olivia rounded staring at their group transformation, they all became a blur of fur and golden lamp-like eyes. She was no longer surrounded by the men and women that had escorted her to Luna's Hollow. They were all now the beasts of the forests and they were waiting for her. Olivia's eyes darted from one wolf to another. Anya and Eleanor were easily recognizable as females. Their builds were more slender than the rest of the males, yet undeniably strong. There was also a hint of a bust on their chests despite being completely covered in fur. Caleb still stood a couple yards in front of her. Olivia stared at him for a moment and noticed his jet black fur become silvery. She threw her head up and saw there, above her, the full moon glowing brightly in the inky black sky. All of a sudden, the sound of her own heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears and a wave of tension flooded her body. Olivia doubled over as she felt the intensity of the stress threatening to explode within her body. She desperately fought to control it or at least slow it down. It was like trying to remain standing upright as ocean waves crashed into your body. Only these waves would kill her if she let them knock her down. In addition to her hammering heart, Olivia could hear herself let out cries of pain as she felt her body begin to fracture and strain from its internal battle. Then she felt it. The agonizing pain of her bones cracking and reshaping themselves. Her chest heaved as her rib cage grew wider enclosing her new vast lungs. Then the snapping and crunching seemed to take over her entire body, she felt it in her aching joints, her sore muscles, and tightening skin as she rose a few additional inches above the ground. She lifted her hands in front of her face and watched in excruciating horror as her fingers stretched and claws cleaved their way from her fingernails. Her ears were stinging as though they were being pulled and extended away from her temples. Suddenly, her attention snapped to her feet as they lengthened and additional claws sprouted from her toes. She felt her face crack outwards with an overwhelming pushing force that made the pain nearly unbearable. Her cries of pain stopped mid throat and came out more like whines and snarls. A sharp pain ripped through the area above her rump as something forced its way out. Olivia then brutally became aware of the thousands of pin pricks all over her body as cinnamon colored fur sprouted from their new roots. Her body continued to crunch and snap and Olivia dropped to the ground unable to endure another second. All was silent and dark around her, peaceful almost. She wasn't sure if she had survived or not but to her surprise was able to feebly flutter her eyes open a crack. The foot tall grass billowed gently in the breeze and the white petals continued to flutter softly to the ground. Olivia opened her eyes wider. Everything was so…sharp…and clear. She could see the delicate fuzz that grew on the thin strands of grass and the soft ridges on the fallen white petals. She could see each individual cinnamon colored hair on her extended arm. And she could hear _everything. _The gentle breathing of the breeze but also the heavy breaths of something else. Her eyes shot open and she jumped to her feet. Her nose was overwhelmed with the hundreds of smells that flooded her nostrils. Olivia looked around frantically at the pack that encircled her. They were watching her warily, some with narrowed or hopeful eyes. Caleb took a step towards her. Olivia shrank back instinctively. Every muscle in her body was a loaded spring itching for release. Power and strength coursed through her veins leaving her feeling anxiously impatient. She felt cornered, caged in. The pack cautiously regrouped behind Caleb. Olivia's eyes darted to each of their fixed gazes and the urge to get out of the clearing and away from their attention intensified.

"Olivia?" he asked calmly.

That was all it took for her to spring. Olivia darted to the cover of the trees. Her body naturally leaned forward so she could use her front claws to gallop away. She sprinted, sprinted as fast as she could, she had to release all this confined energy. It was torture to simply leave it stored in her newly strengthened muscles. Olivia's ears perked up as she heard a distant howl and the soft thud of Caleb's chase some stretch behind her. She could not hear any of the other members running after her. Her alpha had come to claim her alone.

Olivia did not know how long she had been running, an hour? Maybe two? All she did know was that Caleb was hot on her trail in the pitch black forest behind her. She could hear him.  
She had quickly learned the amazing things that her heightened senses could pick up. The woods were dark but her lamp-like eyes looked through them like picture perfect night vision goggles without the annoying uni-color shade of green. Her ears were like submarine radars picking up every little hiccup of sound that echoed around her. Her nose was going crazy with all of the scents that she had never experienced with her human nose despite the fact that she had lived on the edge of the forest her entire life; the wet smell of water that saturated the air, the sharp taint of animal urine, and the earthy scent of the decomposing forest litter. Her vast lungs made running a breeze. She felt like she could run forever, far past the woods, the open fields, and cultivating farms and even through the sea if she gained enough speed. She was free. Free to roam and run and live the fulfilling life that Victoria could not, even if it wasn't exactly the life she had expected…or wanted. Her ears perked up as the sound of rushing stream water echoed nearby. A dry feeling furiously scratched at the back of her throat. She veered to the left alternating her course while maintaining her speed. She heard Caleb do the same almost immediately.

_You're gonna have to face him eventually, _Olivia thought to herself, _you can't run forever._

Olivia winced. That was the sad truth whether she wanted to hear it or not. She was in Caleb's pack. He was her leader, her alpha and the second she had agreed to join, she surrendered to him all freedoms. She shook her maned head furiously. She could not bring herself to do it; to lie with a man she did not love. That wasn't how it was supposed to be, not with her parent's list of suitors and not with this pack of wolves. Olivia suddenly lifted up her head, ears turning slightly. Caleb's continuous rhythm of soft thuds that had been beating in the back of her mind had all of a sudden stopped. She slowed her paces until she came to a stop and stood up, listening intently with her sensitive ears. Nothing. The forest was quiet around her except for the sound of running water, the occasional hoot of an owl, and the gentle whispering of the wind through the pine trees as it blew away from her. She sighed to herself with relief. Caleb had finally given up on her. Maybe she wouldn't have to be with him tonight after all. Olivia softly stepped out near the running stream. Bowing her head, she began lapping at the frigid water beneath her. She could feel it as it poured down her throat, leaving behind the quenching pain of its coldness. The wind around her shifted blowing at her face as she drank from the river. Immediately, Olivia's head shot up, her eyes wide in alarm. The changed direction of the wind had brought with it another scent…Caleb's scent. Not old either but fresh. Just as she narrowed her eyes to further gaze into the darkness of the woods, Caleb stepped forward from behind a rather large tree trunk on the other side of the stream. He had not given up chase but used her thirst to find where she would go and wait for her there. Olivia immediately took a step back. Caleb raised his black claws up in the air surrendering. His submissive gesture did little to ease the anxiety that dwelled within her since she had never seen him do such an act as the alpha.

"Don't be afraid," he consoled, "You do not have to fear me."

"Not of you but what you plan to take from me!" Olivia growled.

"It doesn't have to continue like this," Caleb explained.

Olivia gazed at him suspiciously. He took advantage of her silence.

"Now, I can understand that you have many questions but please do not take off again and let me explain more to you about our kind," he offered, taking a step towards her.

Olivia did not move. It was true that she did have hundreds of questions, like how she could understand what his growls and grunts meant and what other aspects her newly transformed body had that she didn't know about.

"I'm not here to take anything away from or force you to do anything you don't want to," he assured, reading her reproachful expression, "This was your first change and I'm sure a lot of things are pretty unclear at the moment."

Olivia mulled this over for a moment and then hesitantly took a step back, away from the stream, so he could cross and speak to her there. Caleb slowly began trekking his way through the water, his eyes remaining on her observantly. Olivia took another step back, making sure to leave plenty of room between her body and his. Caleb's build was positively massive! His broad shoulders seemed more like the walls of a great fortress than simply the resting place of his maned head. Once his hind leg stepped out onto the soft soil did he speak again.

"Olivia, what you have to understand first is that as alpha male, I have all rights to mate with all the females of my pack," he declared stern-faced, "Although I do not ask that of you now. You **will** submit yourself to me in the near future or be punished for your disobedience."

A small whimper unintentionally escaped from Olivia's muzzle. Caleb's stone expression softened slightly. He strode up to her until they were only inches apart. His heated, musky leather scent filled her nostrils, catching her off guard. It was all around her, on her cinnamon colored fur and in her lungs. His scent proved to be very appealing but she couldn't exactly explain why or how, it just was. Caleb raised one of his ebony claws and gently stroked the side of her face. Olivia did not move but her gaze remained calculatingly on him. As he lifted his claw to stroke her again, she defiantly turned her head to the side. Caleb's claw stopped in midair and he lowered it to his side, his eyes on her inquiringly.

"Have you ever been with a man, Olivia?"

His sudden, direct question whipped her head back to face him. She remained silent, her brows furrowed slightly over her wide eyes. Caleb gave a small nod of understanding.

"Is that why you fear me?" he asked.

"…No," she muttered, "…I'm afraid of what I'm going to have to do **with** you…not **because** of you…but because of…"

Olivia stopped short. She couldn't bear to think of how much her act would betray James. Even if there was no way she would ever be able to be with him again, she just couldn't think of bedding another man when her heart belonged to someone else. Understanding dawned on Caleb's features.

"So there's someone else?" he voiced, "Someone you left behind in that fire apart from your family."

Olivia gave a weak nod.

"What was his name?"

She remained silent for a moment, scrounging up the will to say her love's name.

"…James," she whispered with a small smile.

Tears began to stream down her face. Saying his name was all it took for her pain to rush back and tear open the unmendable wound she carried. Caleb gazed at her for moment then lifted her chin and wiped away a tear with his clawed thumb.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

After a moment of silence, Caleb spoke again.

"Look, if you do not feel ready to fully join us yet, you do not have to," he said gently, "Just know that we're not all bad,… I'm not all bad. I have to be strong for my pack, no sign of weakness whatsoever but…" Caleb took another small step closer to her, "I can be gentle too," he murmured. He tilted his maned head slightly to look at her for a moment. Then leaning in past Olivia's face, he gently nestled against her soft mane of fur, deeply inhaling her scent.

"I'll be waiting for you when you come back to us…to me," he murmured in her ear before breezing past her and galloping off into the woods.

Olivia remained still by the stream for a while after, thinking. Her alpha had graciously given her time to transition into her new life before she had to make her commitment to him. The moon had progressively moved halfway across the sky before she paced back to a heavily wooded portion of forest. Olivia lied down on a patch of soft moss, fountains of tears streaming down her face. She had to completely give up James before she went back to Caleb. This left her no other choice but cut her feelings for him off permanently. So Olivia cried. She continued crying throughout the night wringing out every last tear of love from her broken heart. Her mournful howls echoed solemnly throughout the woods, adding its own sad tune to the forest's midnight lullaby. In the morning she would be ready and willing to face her new life as a creature of the night, detached and exiled from all human life…from James.


	9. Chapter 10

**Hello all! Yes I know this chapter took FOREVER! I've had to balance college, social life, job, and a buttload of other things but it's finally done and I really like the way it turned out. I hope, as always, that you like it too. I luv reviews, they keep me motivated so even if it's just for something as small as "oh that was really well described" or "I know exactly what you mean" anything like that would be welcomed and much appreciated. Two minutes of your time lasts forever with me because each review is important to me! Thanks for reading! Enjoy. **

~Chapter 10~

Everything was black. Utter pitch blackness. Darkness so hopeless and full of despair, it drowned everything in its wake. The suffocating abyss did not leave or falter. It had no weaknesses nor showed any mercy. Everything around her was surreal yet so full of turmoil, it felt more like swimming under water with the dangerous currents on a calm ocean night. Only there was no shining surface above. There was no reprieve from this darkness. It surrounded her, bound her, and consumed her in its mysterious depths. She felt every billow of its invisible current against her body while simultaneously floating in its deep sea of numbness. She felt everything and nothing at the same time. The only thing that even remotely pacified the empty feeling that plagued her was something she could not even begin to explain. A small light was burning. Not a light that illuminated the darkness. Not something she could see but something she could _feel_. It didn't glow or lift away the blackness around her but it somehow warmed it. It gave her a sense of feeling when the sea of numbness threatened to take over her body entirely; sending weak signals of warmth to what she was sure were her fingertips, her lips, and her toes. There was no sense of time in this ocean, only that she seemed to be floating for forever. Forever in the deep sea of nothing. She couldn't twitch, couldn't move, only float and stare at the darkness around her, if her eyes were even open. She didn't know. In her state of nothing, she couldn't even think properly. It was like swimming in a daydream you couldn't snap yourself out of only it was more like a black nightmare. She couldn't even feel herself breathe, if she was breathing at all. It was the worst feeling she had ever experienced in her life, the Nothing. Even in her despair, she couldn't even cry; the most natural expression of sadness was ripped away from her. She would have gladly welcomed pain just to be able to _feel_ again, to be assured that her body was still there. But there was nothing. Slowly, she began to feel the emptiness seep in all over her mind, body, and soul, detaching her from all sense of being. The Nothing leached into her like poison, erasing every rationale she ever had. She no longer remembered who she was, what to feel, or even how to think. She was just an empty shell floating in the darkness, all alone, dead. No, worse than dead, she was alive but numb and lost in the Nothing for an eternity that did not pass.

At one point in time, after heaven knows how long, she began to feel things again. She wasn't sure if her lost mind was hallucinating those feelings out of desperation for her dying soul but she didn't care. All she knew was that those pleasurable little tingles seemed to reawaken her stale mind from its coma. She put as much of her will as she could muster from her dried out thoughts to focusing on those feelings, to each and every one of those quivers and prickles. Slowly, those sensations began to spread, past her toes, through her legs, up her thighs, beyond her torso, back down again through her arms, into her fingers, until they finally reached her face. She could almost feel it soften out of relief and pleasure. The eternity in the dark ocean made her forget how miraculous it was to feel again. As more time passed, she began to formulate pieces of thought like pinpointing where each sensation was on her body as well as her perception of where her limbs were. She was soon sure that her entire body was completely intact. Before long, the prickles and tingles of feeling intensified to small movements. She could, with great concentration, softly clench and unclench her hands. She continued to do so never stopping out of fear that she would become numb again. Next she learned how to clench her hands and curl her toes simultaneously. By far the most difficult part was gaining control of her facial features. She would intently focus on her forehead and eyebrows, but not so much as a twitch would ripple through her skin. She couldn't seem to learn how to blink either so she continued practicing with her mouth. The darkness seemed to sense her rebirth and began to churn violently around her trying to sweep her back into its black numbness. Her growing mind panicked when she forgot how to clench her hands and she determinedly pushed forward making sure to evenly exert every part of her body so the dark ocean would not erase what she had worked so hard to relearn. The more feeling and control she gained, the more the inky blackness fought to reclaim it. It pushed her and swept her through its waves, desperately trying to wash away all sense of feeling to her strengthening body. When it had gained yet another victory, this time claiming the movement of her arms altogether, blinding fury bubbled inside her. Why did the Nothing fight so desperately to keep her in its hellish darkness? Why couldn't it just leave her in peace? Was this hell? It had to be. But what had she done to deserve this fate? The flame quickly spread from within her soul throughout her body leaving every muscle burning and trembling for release. She angrily opened her mouth and forced out every silenced feeling and emotion she had ever been made to withhold. The sea of Nothing echoed with her fierce screams as the beautiful noise reverberated in her once deaf ears.

Victoria's body jerked forward as she snarled. Her eyes snapped open revealing a sight other than the inky blackness of the Nothing's ocean. She was lying on what felt like a bed in a moderately sized room. She blinked furiously in confusion as her mind tried, desperately, to process the overwhelming sight before her. She was panting and the forceful movements of her heavy breathing left her additionally wearisome. It had been ages since she could feel herself breathe like this. And there, in the corner of the room was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. With blurring speed, she leapt off the bed and blew towards the window. There, outside, was the gorgeously glowing moon shining its luminescent silvery light on the forest below. The light, so there still was such a thing. Victoria only wanted to gaze at the moon for the rest of time. It was the most beautiful light she had ever seen after her years in the darkness. Victoria's eyes began to sting as she stared in awe at the sky's soft glow, it had been an eternity since she had to blink or bothering knowing how. Slowly dropping her eyes from the moon, she peered down at her hands. Her eyes immediately darted to the rest of her naked body. But before she could begin to think what had happened, a calm voice spoke up behind her.

"Ahh, you're awake."

Victoria whirled around. Her eyes quickly focusing on the smirking man lying naked in the sheets beside where she had awoken. His dark brown hair shined in the dim lighting of the room. Victoria's eyes easily stabbed through the darkness as she gazed warily at the stranger in the bed. But he was no stranger. She had met him before…the night she died.

"What are you doing here?" she growled.

Her mind buzzed as she listened to her once muted voice again. It was like hearing its delicate sounds and syllables for the first time in her life. She was surprised she could even remember how to communicate properly.

"Taking care of you, of course," the stranger replied simply.

Victoria's sharp gaze narrowed at his arrogant face. What did he mean _taking care of her_? Her eyes darted towards the foot of the bed and she immediately noticed a plain cotton blanket lying gently across the footboard. Quickly snatching it up, she wrapped herself within its folds. The small fire inside her flickered.

"Why am I naked?" she asked hesitantly, knowing all too well the answer to that question but nevertheless hoping she was wrong.

The stranger cocked an eyebrow, his smirk widening. The pit of Victoria's stomach dropped and bile filled her throat.

_Oh God no! Not again...not to me._

She began to sway as an overwhelming wave of nausea swept across her body. Stumbling backwards, Victoria found relief upon hitting the wall. At least _it_ would be able to support her weight even if she couldn't.

"What have you done to me?" she croaked, on the verge of tears as the once forgotten memories of the masque filled her mind.

The stranger recoiled his head in mild astonishment.

"Nothing you didn't want me to," he replied calmly.

Victoria clenched her hands into fists, digging her nails into her palms to keep from vomiting. It was so good to be able to feel pain again.

"What's happened to me? Why don't I remember anything?...How did I get here?...I was dead…how could I…the ocean…oh God the ocean…it was so dark…there was nothing…I was nothing," Victoria nearly whispered.

"Your correct on a few things," interrupted the stranger, "You did die that night in the cave. Your _dark ocean,_ as you call, was your place of damnation, a personal hell if you will. There your humanity fought for control against your own instinct driven animal. A fight you obviously won or you would not have awoken…ever."

The stranger's words whirred around repeatedly in her already overwhelmed head. Her own hell? The hell she was doomed into after she died that night? Fighting for control against an instinctual animal…against herself? But how could she possibly be awake? She died, there was no return from that? Then how was it possible that she was standing…conscious and speaking to this stranger? Too many things didn't make sense and what was worse was she still didn't know how in the world she was able to slump there, on the other side of the room, breathing.

"There's much to tell you before you truly understand how you came to be here but I warn you that failure to remain in control of your internal beast will send you back into the black ocean and there is no guarantee that you'll manage to regain control a second time," the stranger voiced darkly.

Panic flickered in Victoria's eyes and the awful memories of the Nothing flashed through her newly reborn mind. She couldn't go back to that. Forcing herself to take deep breaths, she weakly managed to slump into a nearby chair bathed in the bright cascade of the moonlight. She found great comfort near such light, light she hadn't seen for an agonizing eternity. All of the chaotic thoughts that rushed through her mind made little sense to her, yet despite the circumstances she woke up in, Victoria was more interested in understanding how all this had happened to her rather than wallow in the anger at what she had done with this stranger at night. She would make him pay for it later, she silently promised herself.

"What did you do to me that night in the cave?" Victoria asked almost in a whisper, "I…I'm not the same…there's something wrong—"

"There's nothing _wrong_ with you, pet," the stranger interrupted, a hint of a smirk caressing his mouth.

He could tell from her fearful eyes that she was not convinced otherwise.

"Where are—" she began, but immediately stopped. Her eyes widened as she slowly scanned the room. A growing expression of horror slowly spread across her face as she took in the destruction that surrounded her. Deep slashes scarred the headboard of the bed and chunks of wood were missing from the bedposts. The walls were as badly clawed as the headboard. The entire space looked as if it had been ravaged by a feral wild animal. The pillows were ripped, strewing feathers everywhere. The once white sheets were now mere shreds of cotton. A few of the logs that made up the walls had long extensive cracks in some places.

"What happened here?" Victoria breathed.

The stranger's gaze sharpened, his mouth creasing into a furtive smile.

"…You did."

Victoria inhaled shakily and the stranger watched intently as she took in all of her own devastation. She was abnormally strong for a fledgling. He wasn't sure if he had ever seen one, especially a woman, who had this kind of strength before. She had been difficult to control during her first month. She had been so wild, so powerful, he hadn't even been sure on whether or not she would wake up at all. He wasn't an amateur when it came to turning victims either. He had his fair share of babysitting fledglings in his long years of life but there was just something about this one, something he couldn't pinpoint but could feel, something about her just seemed…wrong.

"How could I have done this?" she asked, wide-eyed.

"Well, you _are_ a lot stronger since the last time we met…well since the last time we met _consciously_. We've been roaming the woods for the past month now. You wouldn't remember it though because, as I said before, you had about as much humanity in you as a wild beast," he replied calmly.

"What do you mean the past month?" Victoria asked, her attention snapping from the extensive damage of the room back to the stranger, "I've been gone for years?...In the black ocean. I was there for…longer than lifetime…it was an eternity," she finished softly.

"No pet, it wasn't. You were feral for a month and then you broke free. You gained control and now you're back in this world, not merely as a weak human…but a goddess…a master of both yours and many other's destinies. You were reborn with no fear. You rule the ground upon which you tread, immortal and living off the life elixir of other's. You are, my angel of the night, a _cruor inhio_, a blood coveter. Lethally strong and blindingly quick, you fear no one."

Victoria slumped weakly in her chair, too overwhelmed by everything this stranger had said. She fidgeted uncomfortably and tried to take in what he was saying. The room was beginning to feel suffocatingly small. The mangled walls seemed to loom ever closer around her and she began to feel dizzy again. She was trapped, caged in like an animal. The walls felt like they were caving in on her, ready to crush her without remorse. She had to get outside, had to be in the open. Pushing herself off the chair, she rushed out of the room in the blink of an eye, not even caring to notice the rest of the destroyed house on her way out the front door.

The frigid air burned across her skin as she stepped out into the clearing where the house stood surrounded by the dense woods. She gulped a lungful of the freezing air and tried to control her exhalations. Her heart felt like it would beat right out of her chest. She was no longer human. Victoria Rose Beckett had died that tragic Hallows Eve and with it had lost all that ever mattered in her life. She was no longer alive nor dead. She was stuck in between, doomed to feed off the life source of countless innocent others forever. Eternally unwelcomed in the Kingdom of Heaven and separated from her sister for the rest of time. Because of this stranger, she would never be able to see Olivia again. His decision had doomed her existence and now ruled her afterlife. Cold tears streamed down her cheek as the awful truth began to sink in. All she had wanted, while she lay there dying in the rubble of her home, was to be with her sister and family again, to reunite with them in Heaven and now, yet again, she was denied her one true happiness. How could any God do this to someone? Victoria opened her mouth to painfully gasp another lungful of air but a small sob escaped instead. The last evening she had with her family, she had pushed them away. The last night she had with her sister, she asked to be left alone until the morning and now she would never again have that sunrise. When was the last time she told them how much she loved them? How much they meant to her? Victoria's piercing sobs shattered the glass silence of the woods, echoing across the trees as they carried themselves on the midnight breeze deep into the forest where they would not be heard. The night of the fire, she had lost more than just her life, she had lost an irreplaceable portion of her soul. It was gone…forever. She felt incomplete, broken even, never truly realizing how much of her being rested on that one shard of her heart. The cold earth prickled its sharp blades of grass against her bare legs. Victoria did not know when she had fallen to her knees but wanted nothing more than to stay there on the ground, defeated,…finally forced into submission and willing to accept it. She knew the stranger was watching her in the doorway, she could feel his presence. How she could possibly know that, she neither knew nor cared. What did it matter? She wasn't whole anymore. She had nothing more to live for and would never die. Her freezing hands clenched the ground beneath them. Small snaps could be heard as the roots of the grass split and ripped away from their nurturing foundation. Victoria dug her nails deeper still, taking pleasure in tearing up the soft soil beneath her. It was nothing in her hands, so feeble, no resistance whatsoever. She could do anything she wanted to it and there would be neither questions nor mercy. Only actions, when and how she wanted them done. Something inside her momentarily flickered and then burst into life, flooding her body with burning power. The fire that had warmed her mind and body in the Nothing was still with her, aiding her, even now. It sung through her veins, rippled through every muscle, and sharpened every corner of her mind. Victoria kneeled still as a statue as she embraced the feeling of power that flowed through every fiber of her being. Shutting her eyes, she lifted her head, almost smiling it felt so good.

_I promise you Olivia…they will pay. _

The stranger stared at the figure that kneeled helplessly on the cold ground. His hard eyes showed no remorse for her pain. She would heal…eventually. If there was one thing that he had learned in his long years of life was that time did heal everything. It had taken him the better of several decades to accept his losses but he had managed just fine. This girl would soon forget her family and how much she thought they meant to her. She would, just like any other _cruor inhio _who lived long enough to realize that. She was no different.

A soft breeze blew through the clearing, forcing the weak grass to cower in its effortless wake. The frigid night was deathly calm, no owls hooted, no animals rustled in the woods, and even the crickets had ceased to play their midnight symphony. There was only her. Her dark brown hair shimmered in the pearly moonlight rendering her almost angelic as she kneeled down to her future. Slowly her head turned as she looked to gaze at the stranger behind her, deep burgundy eyes blazing with the fire that burned inside her.


	10. Chapter 11

**Hello everyone! Yes I know I haven't posted anything up for this story in a long while. Unfortunately this chapter is relatively short but next chapter should be longer. Please let me know what you think! I really appreciate any and all feedback. Enjoy!**

~Chapter 11~

Victoria could hear the crickets chirping their individual pitches but kept her eyes tightly shut. She could hear a lot of things when she listened carefully; the hooting owls, the whistling wind, and even those footsteps that almost silently glided through the cabin...Victoria cracked open her eyes slowly. The roof of the cabin looked in better shape than the rest of the walls had…from what she could remember. She sat up and immediately wished she hadn't. A wave of dull pain and soreness pulled at every muscle and joint in her body. Groaning, Victoria managed to pull herself out of the shredded bed that she had previously awoken in. The room was pitch black apart from the dim moonlight that managed to filter through the dirty windows. She looked down to examine her bare body but didn't find a single reason why she felt this sore. She grimaced in pain as she adjusted her jaw which popped in several places. Her chest in particular was very sensitive to her every inhalation and was lined with small yellowing bruises all the way down to her stomach. Brows furrowed in confusion, she tenderly reached for the sheet to wrap herself in and slowly made her way out of the bedroom, looking cautiously around each corner before entering the hallway. The floor creaked under her feet as she walked down the narrow path towards what seemed to be the kitchen. Turning the corner, she immediately found what she was looking for. He was staring, arms crossed, out the window. Victoria's eyes widened as she gazed at the stranger's bare back. It was covered in healing slashes from neck to navel.

"Do you plan on attacking me again or shall I tie you up to avoid the confrontation altogether?" he suddenly asked, catching Victoria off guard.

Her brows furrowed in annoyance. Why did this stranger's comments never make sense?

"What are you talking about?...How did I get back into the bed?"

"You really should learn to control yourself. You may be just a fledgling but your temper is rather short for a lady…and fighting is hardly your strongpoint," he added darkly.

Victoria frowned. She knew she wasn't the most patient of people but having this flaw pointed out to her by the likes of him didn't help her temper much either.

"Did we fight each other?" she asked curiously.

The stranger chuckled softly and turned to face her.

"You tried your best to harm me," he smiled, eyes taking in her tender posture, "but I can't help but point out that you were the one that came out more injured."

Victoria's body tightened ever so slightly. The mere thought that she would ever be strong enough to fight this creature or even begin to consider doing so gave her goose bumps. How could she have fought him and only come out with a few bumps and bruises. She knew that she was stronger now but exactly _how_ much was still very much a mystery to her.

"—You did manage to claw me quite a few times but other than that…you hardly stood a chance," he said pointedly, "I do believe I broke a few of your ribs though. This cabin won't last much longer if we continue getting along like this."

Victoria opened her mouth to argue but stopped mid-breath and shut it again. There was no point in trying to fight his smugness although that didn't keep her from wanting to smack that smile right off his chiseled face.

"I've become quite accustomed to your habit of clawing though. You did it quite often when we spent our nights together. I think you actually bit me at one point or another. I can't exactly remember which specific time that happened but you understand my point."

Victoria's expression stiffened at the less than subtle reminder of her long loss of innocence. Something she'd rather not linger on. Instead she decided to steer her curiosity in another direction.

"…Who are you?" she nearly whispered.

The stranger took a step towards her, smile widening.

"You've been dying to ask me that since the day I found you."

Victoria stood still as she searched this man's face. A face she had never seen in her life, a face that was somehow different from anything she had ever looked upon, a face that shared half a mind with something more primal and dangerous. He took another step towards her, eyes glinting in the dark room.

"Alec…my name is Alec."

Victoria remained silent. This monster had a name. It almost made him seem human…almost. Alec's silhouette lingered motionlessly as his calculating eyes remained ever focused.

"Usually when someone introduces themselves, it's only proper to give him your name as well. Don't tell me I'm going to have to teach you manners too?"

Victoria's eyes narrowed. She wasn't particularly enthusiastic about divulging that kind of personal information.

Alec's brows lifted expectantly. When she did not answer he smiled to himself.

"It's amusing how much we've shared with each other and yet you still refuse to tell me your name," he pointed out.

"I don't have to tell you anything," Victoria retorted, "I am not in debt to you or any other."

The corners of Alec's mouth tugged upwards and his eyes darkened.

"Come now. I highly advise you to tell me who you are and do so without that sass that accompanies so many of your comments. Or I may simply have to force it out of you…and we both know how much you enjoy a little bit of brutality," he growled.

Victoria clenched her jaw. She couldn't get into another fight with Alec. She had no idea how much worse her condition might be when she woke up…if she woke up again. There was no sense in getting beaten to a pulp over something so insignificant as a name.

"…Victoria," she finally admitted.

"Beautiful name," Alec smiled, "Now that wasn't so difficult was it?"

Victoria turned to leave. She needed a break from his vast arsenal of haughtiness. She had barely entered the kitchen and nearly vomited. She would have screamed if she could have but nothing came out of her gaping mouth.

Lying there on the ground was the brutally mangled corpse of a middle aged man. His entire body seemed to be made up solely of skin and bones. There wasn't a single drop of blood left in him. A look of terror was still frozen on his decomposing face. Victoria clapped her hand over her mouth. The victim's eyes were deeply sunken into his skull and his skeleton was nearly visible through the waxy folds of his pale, degenerating skin.

Alec did not move behind her.

"Do not forget who you are now, Victoria," he said darkly, "They are our prey…nothing more. Their blood is our energy, our medicine, and our life source…you had better get used to it quickly."

Victoria squeezed her eyes painfully shut and turned away from the horrid corpse to face Alec. His eyes showed neither remorse nor sympathy but glistened with the truth of her new life.

"Now go and put some clothes on. We're leaving."


	11. Chapter 12

**Hey everyone. I'm really sorry! It has been almost 6 months since I've last updated this story. I've had absolutely no time whatsoever to write more. School, work, life, etc. This chapter is on the shorter side but I found the conclusion of it to be very fitting. I will begin the next chapter where this one left off. As always, comments, reviews, questions, etc. are always welcome or for those who simply need a recap of what's been going on, please feel free to message me. Enjoy!**

~Chapter 12~

The air burned with the merciless chill of the cold. There was no more vegetation. The forest's once fruitful trees creaked and hardened as the morning dew froze onto its peeling thick bark. Winter had come. All that remained were the sharp needles that continued to thrive but ceased to grow on the evergreens. Their shades paler and less vibrant than the watercolors spring seemed to paint them with. The ground grew hard and crunchy as drifts of snow settled gently on the forest floor. A chilled, empty wind blew softly through the trees, bringing the worst of the wintery torment ever closer to the quiet woods. In the distance, an echo of a howl reverberated on the trees and rocks of the surreal forest. Moments later, through the foliage and away from the distant howl came the pack. They dashed silently through the forests like ghosts riding on the wind itself. Their numerous gallops thudded almost noiselessly on the blanketed floor. They were heading west, towards the town. Food had become so scarce that the pack could no longer sustain themselves on the dwindling numbers of deer and moose that seemed to altogether disappear from the forest. There had never been a winter this barren in many years and going into town was their last resort for survival. The entire pack was anxious, some from excitement, others from apprehension. Only four of them would be going. Caleb had made his meaning clear, the fewer that came along the better. He didn't want anyone to get _overexcited_ and accidentally shift in front of an entire town. Olivia had seen nothing but the depths of the vast woods for the past two months and Caleb's refusal to allow her to go into town with the pack proved to be very upsetting. She had tried to argue with her alpha but he had sternly explained to her that the appearance of a dead girl did nothing to aid their mission and would render her a mere liability. The conversation had ended rather abruptly.

Suddenly the pack stopped. They regrouped, fixating their gazes on Caleb, awaiting his next order. The massive wolf that was their alpha made a throaty growl and threw his head back as his long limbs began to snap into smaller, leaner ones and his pelt began to shed off. The rest of the pack obediently followed his lead and began to snap and crunch back into their human counterparts. Olivia concentrated hard and focused on the image of herself as a human. It had taken her awhile to learn how to transform back. After her first transformation, she had taken the better part of a week to fully master initiating the change back but not without the guidance of Nora, Connor, and even Caleb. It was a strange feeling, to encourage the change inside her. She was now harboring two pieces of her identity in one body, the girl and the wolf. Yet she still had to learn how to properly control both so the changes to and from would be easier on her body. She'd been sore for the past month as she acclimated with the wear and tear that the transformations had on her but slowly the change was becoming less painful. Easily her least favorite stage of the change was growing her muzzle. The huge invisible force that pushed her nose right out of her face still felt as painful as that night in Luna's Hollow. The rest of the pack assured her that too would subside but how long that would take depended on her.

"All right everyone, this is where we shall separate. Those of us who're going into town will head further down. We'll take the river path. The rest of you, stay well out of sight and meet us on the edge of the forest near the orchards," Caleb directed.

Olivia's heart fell. The orchards were the boundary of her father's land…and her home. She had not been back to the manor since the night of the fire. She didn't even know whether her parents had survived or not but she did know that Victoria hadn't. Olivia's eyes glazed over, she had altogether stopped listening to what Caleb was saying. All she could think of was her home and how close she'd be to it today.

"—Daven, get the clothes from Nora. We'll change downriver.— "

Olivia blinked, abruptly pulling herself out of her deep thoughts just in time to see Peter sulking towards her. Needless to say, she knew exactly how he felt.

"Don't worry Pete, we'll tell you all about it later," chanted Rourke, throwing an arm around his packmate, "…all the delicious smells, the cool contraptions, and the pretty girls—"

"Shut up, Rourke," grumbled Peter.

"Get over here Rourke and stop acting like a pup before I leave you behind too," barked Caleb.

It took him half a second to get back in line with the others. Olivia sighed to herself. At least she'd have Peter to talk to while the others were in town. Not that she minded talking to her fellow packmates but her conversations were rather limited when she only had Anya, Nora and the old male who rarely ever said a word.

"We should be back no later than sundown, wait for us at the edge of the woods," reminded Caleb.

Nora nodded and began walking in the direction of the orchards with the old male. Peter, disappointment carved in every feature of his boyish face, gave a longing sigh and turned to follow. Caleb turned and nodded to Connor, Daven, and Rourke who began striding downriver, leaving only Olivia behind. He approached her, eyes reading the disappointment evident on her face.

"I understand your desire to go into town with us Olivia but you must also understand the great risk you will put us all in if I allow you to do such a thing," he began.

Olivia remained silent but gave a small nod. She understood perfectly well but that didn't cloud the fact that she sorely missed the life she was forced to leave behind and being denied the opportunity to see it one last time was hard to accept.

Satisfied with her response, Caleb turned to leave but not before gently running his fingers through Olivia's hair. A moment later, he was quickly striding down the length of the river towards town. Olivia would never become fully used to his touches, no matter how brief. It almost seemed impossible that such a man as intimidating as Caleb could actually be gentle. Olivia desperately hoped so. He had not demanded that she lay with him yet but she knew her days were numbered. Her stomach remained in an increasingly tangled knot that tightened whenever Caleb was near.

Olivia shook her head. She didn't want to think about it.

"Olivia, are you coming?" called Peter from behind her.

She blinked once, regaining her thoughts, "Yea Pete, I'm coming."

It had been about an hour since Caleb's group had left for town and the remaining packmembers had taken refuge in a small cave near the orchards. The granite cavern had been all but empty when the group arrived and the only signs that it had ever been inhabited were stains of what appeared to be blood on the sand covered floor. Peter had curiously sniffed the long dried copper blotches but any remaining scent had been washed away by the winter's icy rains. Olivia didn't want to know what…or who the blood belonged to. She had enough of a hard time getting used to the scent of her newly carnivorous diet to voluntarily submit her keen senses so openly. A little while later Peter plopped himself onto the ground, leaned his head against the cave wall and closed his eyes. Anya and Nora sat near the center of the cave and conversed quietly with each other while the old male retreated to the far corner and curled up for a nap. Olivia found herself alone again. Glancing out into the forest, a fresh coat of snow layered the topsoil every thirty or so minutes. She watched the flakes flutter and swirl as they slowly made their decent to the ground. A half an hour had passed and soon both Anya and Nora had lay beside each other to nap as well. Once she was sure that they were all asleep, Olivia rose from her corner and silently crept to the entrance and with one last look towards the sleeping packmembers, left the cave. The cave had proved to be significantly warmer than the forest outside and Olivia began to shiver violently. The human half of her being would not be able to withstand the cold for too long, she would have to change to keep from freezing to death. She continued to walk in the direction of the orchards and soon found herself losing the feeling in her fingers. She had to change. The animal instinct inside her writhed uncomfortably as her body began to ache painfully from the cold. She sighed softly and then grimaced as she encouraged the change inside her. Olivia doubled over as her body crunched, snapped and popped into its much stronger form. Her human gasps soon morphed into throaty whimpers. The change was complete. Although the change still proved to be painful, Olivia had grown increasingly resilient to its discomfort. The immediate release of the elongation of her spinal cord was the most satisfying of the change. She shook her head, sending the snow on her mane flying in every direction. A wave of warmth flooded her body as though she had been submerged into a warm bath. Her newly changed body heaved a sigh of relief. Winter's icy wind felt like a merely chilled breeze against her cinnamon colored pelt. Olivia lifted her muzzle and sniffed the air. The scent of cold moisture and wood fires floated in the wind and there beneath all of the woods additional smells was the sweet scent of rotting fruit. Olivia turned her muzzle and focused on the barely distinguishable scent. She found her heading and broke into a gallop.

It didn't take long for Olivia to reach the edge of her father's orchards. She lifted her maned head up once again to taste the air. After reassuring herself that no one else was around, she quickly left the safety of the edge of the forest and trotted across the orchards towards the final resting place of her family's once grand home. The snow softly crunched as she made her way across the sloping front lawn. The manor was now in ruins. The heaping pile of crumbled stone and wood was buried in at least a few feet of snow and from the looks of it hadn't been disturbed for some time. Olivia circled the entire perimeter of the rubble sniffing and pawing at it, hoping to find any sign or memory of her past life. She whimpered softly to herself and hung her head but something bright caught the corner of her eye. Olivia lifted her head immediately. There was an unnaturally bright spot of yellow that stood out against the blanket of snow that covered the ground. She rose to her hind legs to get a better view and slowly made her way over to the bright spot. She soon realized it was yellow flower half buried beneath a fresh layer of powder. Olivia's brows furrowed. What was this plant doing here in the middle of winter? She soon found her answer. The dainty flower was resting in front of a granite gravestone. Olivia's heart fell when she read its inscription.

Olivia Grace Beckett

1775-1793

Beloved daughter and sister.


	12. Chapter 13

**So it has been a ridiculously long time since I've updated this story. I still plan on finishing it though! Thanks again to everyone who's recently added this story to their Alerts or Faves list. It means a lot to me! =] Please take a minute to write a review on **_**anything**_** that you like, don't like, have questions about, etc. I want to know what you all think. Thanks again and enjoy!**

~Chapter 13~

Frozen to the spot, Olivia's legs didn't seem to want to move. The winter breeze blew emptily, sending swirls of snowflakes twirling around her. Her gaze rose from her own gravestone as she peered, heartbroken, at the additional three beside it. Her whole family was buried here and there she stood, above the very grave she should be resting in. With no remains to be found, they had buried an empty coffin, no less. Olivia's heart began to weep but only sorrowful howls could be heard escaping her muzzle. The pain she had been harboring for the past few months seemed to break loose with a force greater than she could suppress. Olivia didn't know how long she had stood there, only that she fell to her knees and let out a very human sob. Her cinnamon pelt lay on the icy ground around her in a pile. She did not feel herself transform. The pain inside her far outweighed the pain of the change. Her family was gone and should have died with them. Victoria's final resting place looked far off, distant, as though she were looking at it in a dream. It seemed unnatural that her beloved sister was buried there, lifeless, somewhere in the frozen dirt. Her once beautiful features brutally frostbitten and decomposing beneath the soil. Olivia wept harder and tried to gasp for air in between sobs. The freezing air burned her lungs with every inhalation. It wasn't long before her body once again began to shake violently with the cold but she didn't care. She'd let herself freeze to death if that was the only way to be reunited with her family.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Victoria," she whispered, tears flooding down her cold cheeks.

The wind began to howl around her as the evening drew near. The temperature also began to plummet as the warm sun set behind the mountains to the west. It wasn't long before Olivia could hear soft, yet quick thuds coming up behind her. She didn't bother to turn around. She already knew who it was. Olivia could smell Caleb before he even reached her. She was in trouble no doubt. Wandering off, without so much as a word to where she was going, didn't settle well with anyone in the pack. Communication made them strong. Olivia's hair was soaking wet from the snow and the rest of her body was equally drenched. Caleb slowly approached her. Olivia could no longer take it. She turned to face him, eyes swollen and red.

"Oh love, you're soaked," he said softly, moving a wet strand of hair away from her face.

Olivia collapsed into his outstretched arms and continued to weep. His entire body was thankfully warm, still well heated from his recent transformation. She pushed herself closer to the heat of his body. Caleb didn't move or flinch to her ice cold touch. Remaining ever still, he continued to use his own body heat to revive her. After some time had passed, he finally spoke again.

"Olivia, we have to get back to the cave before nightfall. You need to eat to get your strength back. I'm going to change and carry you," he said.

Olivia nodded. Without letting go of her, Caleb began to transform. This close to him, she could hear every crack of bone and pop of his joints as he grew larger. Small, soft pricks tingled against her skin as he sprouted his new pelt. The change didn't last long for the experienced alpha. Olivia looked up at his newly maned head. Sympathetic, luminescent eyes stared back at her. His deep breaths formed clouds of condensation as they left his muzzle. Olivia extended her arms as far around his neck as she could and Caleb scooped her up like a bride, keeping her close to the heat of his body. He immediately broke into a run and re-entered the cover of the forest but not before Olivia turned to take one final look at her family's graves and whisper _I love you_.

***

"I hate this," muttered an irritated Victoria, 80 miles away.

"Well you had better get used to it pet, because this is the way you'll be traveling from now on," said Alec lightly.

"Well why is it taking me so long to get it?"

"You're a shadow now. You need to learn to move like one…quickly _and_ effectively. I have no clue as to why your mind cannot keep up with your speed," he added darkly, eyeing a heavily damaged tree trunk.

"I don't know why either. Aren't you supposed to know all about this?" she snapped, "It's easy for me to move but as soon as I pick up speed, it's hard for me to see the trees and obstacles. Everything blurs and I can't focus on where I'm going."

"Maybe you carried on that trait from your human self. Acting without foreseeing the consequences," Alec sneered.

Victoria eyes snapped towards Alec, daring him to insult her again.

"Now don't get your knickers in a twist, love," he teased, "I wouldn't want us to fight again. You'll just become angry and I'll just end up hurting you again."

"It's well worth it if I get one good swipe at your face," she retorted.

"You know, I find your aggressive attitude to be quite disheartening especially when I'm trying as hard as I am to train you how to be proper _cruor inhio_. I'd appreciate a little more gratitude and a little less lip from you," Alec said menacingly.

Whether or not she wanted to admit it, he was right. They had been endlessly working on controlling all of her new strengths these past couple months which, without Alec, would have proven virtually impossible and extremely dangerous. Although Victoria's blackouts were occurring less and less as time went on, she still feared that without Alec's watchful eye, she would massacre an entire town trying to satiate her ever lingering thirst. Trying to understand more about these blackouts was like trying to navigate a maze in the dark. Not even Alec could explain why she continued to experience these _lapses of humanity_, though what she was now could hardly even be considered _human_ in the first place.

Victoria took a deep breath and dashed forward. The heavily wooded surroundings streaked into colorful blurs as she struggled to maneuver herself around them.

_Left-left-hard right-left again-right-_

She was gaining speed.

_hard left-right-open meadow-hard right-around the boulder-_WHAM!

A thunderous crack echoed in Victoria's ears as she gasped desperately for the air that was just knocked out of her. A twenty foot sapling swayed menacingly then crashed to the forest floor. The birds in neighboring trees squawked angrily before taking flight for a much less noisy portion of the forest. A soft laugh came from behind Victoria.

"Oh pet, make sure to leave some of the forest intact will you. The animals need homes too, you know," Alec chimed.

Ignoring him, Victoria tried to rub away the dull pain in her chest.

"I think I'm finished for the day," she muttered.

"That's alright with me, we need to feed anyway," he nodded.

Victoria's head lifted up, "Feed? But we just ate a few days ago."

Alec was already walking in the direction of the town, he paused only for a moment to turn and look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, pet. I know. Now let's go."

Victoria's heart sank. She'd thought that after a few months she would be more than used to consuming the blood of others but that had been nothing more than wishful thinking. How could she drink something her body required when her stomach rejected it? When she was feral, the quench was near pleasurable however when in control, the blood tasted as it always had, metallic and thick. Alec had reassured her that the initial nausea would also subside as her body continued to acclimate to her new lifestyle and diet but Victoria remained doubtful. How could anyone become calloused to this?

"…So where are you going to get the…um.."

"Dinner? The local pub is always a great place. Mind you I prefer to have a whiskey-laced meal every now and then," Alec said lightly.

The pit of Victoria's stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch. Sober blood was bad enough but to have to deal with an additional burn when drinking it sounded like near misery.

Alec was watching her closely when a malicious gleam flickered in his blue eyes, "Do you have a preference for dinner, pet? Tall, fair, handsome? Perhaps an enemy? The options are limitless."

"No thank you," she retorted sharply, "It's hard enough eating innocent strangers, I don't want to have to deal with my conscience after eating someone I know."

"Used to know."

Victoria sighed. "Right."

"A common stranger it is then. I'll be back soon, love."

With a blink of an eye, Alec was gone. Only the gentle sway of the nearby saplings gave evidence of his presence there only moments before.

During Alec's absence, Victoria continued to practice using her speed. It was much less cumbersome training alone without the snide remarks that accompanied every one of her failed attempts. It wasn't long before Alec returned with dinner. Thankfully, her next meal was already dead so she wouldn't have to hear the desperate pleas for life, promises of riches, or any other miserable excuse prior to watching them die. The bearded middle-aged man landed with a dull thump onto the ground. His neck slightly swollen near the point of the break.

"Bon appetite!" Alec chimed with a nasty grin now armed with two long, white fangs.

Victoria remained quiet as she picked up the stocky man's wrist and turned it delicately in her hands.

"Darling, you don't have to be so gentle. You won't wake him," Alec said, his blue eyes watching her intently.

"I know," she muttered. But she couldn't help it. This man, dead or alive, had a life which did not merely disappear after his death. Who knew? He may have had a family waiting for his return, a wife to kiss, a son or daughter to support. Either way, Victoria still saw him as a human, not just dinner. All these thoughts, these fictional memories of this man's prior life, flash through her mind…every time…every meal.

"Do not analyze it Victoria, just eat," Alec said stoically.

Victoria bit into the man's wrist, an artery as far away from his face as possible, without having to remove any more clothes. Alec tended to vary the location of his bite ("The taste changes ever so slightly when the blood doesn't have oxygen in it.") but decided to go straight for the jugular tonight. Victoria took a deep pull and warm, thick fluid filled her mouth immediately. There was small hint of a burn with every swallow…whiskey. The surrounding forest had gone completely quiet. Its inky blackness hiding their midnight feast. Victoria was grateful that no one but those like her would ever see her committing such an act of disgust. She took another deep pull from the man's wrist. If blood was an acquired taste, well then she had plenty of time to get used to it…whether she wanted to or not.


End file.
